LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The USC Academic Senate today called on President C.L. Max Nikias to resign because of misconduct and reporting failures that occurred at the student health center involving former campus gynecologist George Tyndall.
The vote was ``almost unanimously in favor of Max's resignation," Tara McPherson, a professor in USC's School of Cinematic Arts who attended the town hall, told the Los Angeles Times.
``Every faculty member but one was in favor of a new administration," McPherson told The Times, describing the public comment portion of the meeting. ``It was incredibly affirming.''
The late Wednesday afternoon vote followed a fiery town hall meeting attended by more than 100 faculty members, many of whom voiced outrage over Nikias and the Board of Trustees' leadership, according to The Times.
At the town hall meeting, Senate President Paul Rosenbloom said he did not think Nikias or Provost Michael Quick committed wrongdoing but that the university president deserved criticism for a lack of transparency, The Times reported.
The Board of Trustees issued a statement Tuesday saying there were `troubled'' about Tyndall's conduct but have ``full confidence'' in Nikias to carry out a just-released ``action plan'' to address problems and put better safeguards in place.
Tyndall, 71, has denied wrongdoing. In interviews with The Times, the physician defended his medical exams as thorough and appropriate, and said some of his comments to patients were misinterpreted.
Nikias last week apologized in writing to women who claim they were abused by Tyndall. Nikias said he is struggling to understand how the doctor was allowed to continue treating patients for decades and noted his two daughters were USC students.
The subject of numerous complaints from students and staff beginning in the 1990s, Tyndall was removed from the clinic only after a nurse reported him to the rape crisis center two years ago, according to former patients and staffers interviewed by The Times.
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