INVESTIGATES UPDATE: Former TTU professor out of classroom after KCBD story
After the University of Alabama told KCBD News this week that Dr. Parisi "is not teaching this summer" our Investigates team followed up with Alabama officials about discrepancies with their written statement. Evidence from students and from the University of Alabama website suggested that Dr. Parisi did start the summer session teaching two courses and is now out of the classroom after KCBD aired its story.
Today we received another written statement from University of Alabama media relations.
That statement reads, "Dr. Parisi taught class for two days of each course he was scheduled to teach this summer before the university and Dr. Parisi agreed last week that it would be best for him not to teach due to allegations being made in Texas. We don’t plan to comment further on this since it involves a personnel matter."
Former Dean Nail offered evidence of his communications with Alabama Department Chair Matt Holt in which he told Dr. Holt of Dr. Parisi's behavior.
We have asked University of Alabama officials if Dr. Holt has been disciplined or demoted as a result of ignoring this information.
They have not responded.
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Dr. Lance Nail, the former Dean of the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University, says there are inaccuracies in a Title IX investigation.
As we first reported last week, that investigation concluded that Dr. Nail failed in his responsibilities as a dean of the college after one of his friends and colleagues was accused of sexual harassment on a university trip.
According to the investigation, there had been a couple of red flags surrounding Dr. Franco Parisi.
Despite reports of inappropriate behavior, Dr. Nail allowed him to go on that university sponsored trip to Chile.
That's where the concerns escalated and prompted the Title IX investigation.
However, Dr. Nail, argues that there are errors in that investigation.
One of the incidents that created concern prior to the trip involved Dr. Franco Parisi and a staff member drinking during work hours at the university.
According to the report, that staff member became so intoxicated she passed out.
The Title IX investigation concludes that Dr. Parisi abandoned the staff member in a life-threatening condition.
However, Dr. Nail argues that Dr. Parisi never abandoned her, he only left the office to let the woman's husband into the building.
Following that incident, Dr. Nail shortened Dr. Parisi's arrangement with Texas Tech, but he still wanted Dr. Parisi to attend the trip to Chile
Dr. Parisi had several relationships in Chile where he was a former presidential candidate.
This investigation states, "Not only was Dr. Nail the only person with full knowledge of Dr. Parisi's prior behavior, but he was also the Dean of the College and as such the person who was responsible for making decisions about whether it was appropriate for Dr. Parisi to be on the trip."
However, Dr. Nail argues that a faculty member who attended the trip also had full knowledge of the drinking incident involving Dr. Parisi, and still wanted him to attend.
Dr. Nail had originally planned on attending the trip to minimize Dr. Parisi's interaction with students outside of class, but, he was asked to attend a board of regents meeting and could not make it.
This investigation states he failed to notify the EEO Office or Human Resources of his change of plans, something Dr. Nail says he did not know he was obligated to do.
Students who attended the trip told investigators Dr. Parisi sexually harassed a student and was completely inappropriate.
Dr. Nail said a faculty member did make him aware of some of the concerns, but asked him not to intervene at the time.
Dr. Nail said that while he was aware of some of the inappropriate behavior, he was not made fully aware of all of Dr. Parisi's actions.
Following the trip, Dr. Nail said he wrote a letter to Dr. Parisi telling him he was banned from campus and from interacting with students.
Nail said he would contact the campus police if Parisi were seen back on campus.
KCBD has learned that Dr. Parisi went on to another teaching position at the University of Alabama in the fall of 2015.
We asked Texas Tech if Alabama was made aware of the incidents involving Dr. Parisi.
Texas Tech sent us this statement, "We believe there was communication to parties at the University of Alabama during early summer of 2015."
KCBD contacted the University of Alabama who emailed us this statement, "Dr. Parisi is on a one-year appointment that ends August 15, but he is not teaching this summer. We are not going to comment further."
However, according to the university's online syllabus management, Dr. Parisi was scheduled to teach this summer, something we confirmed with students at the university.
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KCBD Investigates: Title IX accusations against former TTU dean
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