Berkeley - Professor John Dwyer today (Wednesday, Nov. 27) announced his resignation as dean of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law (Boalt Hall), as well as his resignation from the faculty.The resignation from the deanship will be effective Jan. 1.
Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl accepted the resignation in response to an allegation of an incident of sexual harassment against Dwyer, which the campus has been investigating in accordance with its prescribed procedures.
University officials launched a confidential internal investigation into this matter as soon as the allegations were brought to their attention.
Although Dwyer maintains that his encounter with a law student, who has since graduated, was consensual, he has acknowledged that it represented a serious lapse in judgment. Dwyer's decision to resign from the UC Berkeley faculty at this time is his own.
Berdahl will appoint an interim dean shortly. A national search for a new law school dean will begin as soon as possible.
Dwyer was appointed law school dean in July 2000. He joined the law school faculty in 1984.
In accepting Dwyer's resignation, Berdahl recognized the law professor's accomplishments as dean, which are marked by recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty, encouraging a more diverse student body and faculty, as well as strengthening the school's curriculum and fundraising.
