Update 15 October: It has been reported that Geoffrey Marcy has now resigned from the University of California, Berkeley.
A group of 19 senior astronomy faculty at the University of California, Berkeley, including the department’s interim chair, Gibor Basri, have called on the university to “re-evaluate its response” to astronomer Geoffrey Marcy, who was found to have violated Berkeley’s sexual-harassment policy. The astronomers believe that Marcy, who pioneered the search for extrasolar planets, “cannot perform the function of a faculty member” despite apologizing for carrying out what he himself calls “unwelcomed” behaviour with some of his female graduate and undergraduate students between 2001 and 2010.
In June, following a six-month investigation, Berkeley concluded that Marcy had allegedly indulged in inappropriate behaviour and put him on probation, warning him to cease such actions. Any further episodes of harassment, Marcy was told at the time, would lead to his immediate suspension or dismissal. The results of Berkeley’s investigation – motivated by complaints from four women – became public only last week when Buzzfeed News broke the story. According to Buzzfeed, the women said Marcy had “repeatedly engaged in inappropriate physical behaviour with students, including unwanted massages, kisses and groping”.
Open letter
In an open letter to the astronomical community last week, Marcy wrote: “While I do not agree with each complaint that was made, it is clear that my behaviour was unwelcomed by some women. I take full responsibility and hold myself completely accountable for my actions and the impact they had. For that, and to the women affected, I sincerely apologise.” He then added: “Through deep and lengthy consultations, I have reflected carefully on my actions as well as issues of gender inequality, power and privilege in our society. I was unaware of how these factors created unforeseen contexts and how my actions and position have affected others in ways that were far from what I intended. Through hard work, I have changed in major ways for the better.”
The news of the investigation has also reverberated around the wider US astronomical community. Graduate students in Berkeley’s astronomy department have spoken out, declaring “The university’s failure to impose meaningful consequences on Geoff Marcy – offering instead vague threats of future sanctions should the behaviour continue – suggests that Berkeley’s administration values prestige and grant money over the wellbeing of the young scientists it is charged with training.” Meanwhile, another statement that has been signed by 32 Berkeley postdocs calls on the university and its astronomy department to “transform their policies and practices toward sexual harassment”.
‘Real consequences’
Berkeley’s administrators responded that it has sanctioned Marcy severely. “The university has imposed real consequences on Geoff Marcy by establishing a zero-tolerance policy regarding future behaviour and by stripping him of the procedural protections that all other faculty members enjoy before he can be subject to discipline up to and including termination,” they said in an official statement. To sack him, the statement added, the university would have had to undertake a long process of hearings, with an uncertain outcome.
Harvard University astronomer David Charbonneau has already suggested that Marcy should avoid the Extreme Solar Systems III conference next month in Hawaii – a suggestion Marcy accepted.
