UCLA Professor Gabriel Piterberg — accused of sexual harassment — to return in winter 2017

UCLA students are concerned about the school’s decision to allow a professor accused of sexual harassment to teach in winter 2017.

History professor Gabriel Piterberg and Stephen Aron, chair of the history department, agreed in June that Piterberg would resume teaching in winter and spring. Piterberg will teach two upper division history courses – History 105A: “Survey of Middle East, 500 to Present: 500 to 1300″ and History 111B: “Topics in Middle Eastern History: Early Modern: Arab Provinces of Ottoman Empire.” 

The University of California regents settled lawsuits in September filed by Nefertiti Takla and Kristen Glasgow, both graduate students in history. The students alleged UCLA officials discouraged them from making formal complaints against Piterberg.

The graduate students accused Piterberg of making sexual comments directed toward them and forcing his tongue into their mouths.

In 2014, UCLA suspended Piterberg for a quarter without pay, required him to attend sexual harassment training and removed him as director of UCLA’s Center for Near Eastern Studies. The history department also restricted Piterberg’s access to his office during weekends and prohibited one-on-one meetings with students.

However, some students said they think his punishment was not enough. ...