More women have come forward with sexual harassment allegations against former University of Minnesota Athletic Director Norwood Teague, MPR News reported.
University President Eric Kaler told MPR News that “less than five” women have come forward since Teague resigned earlier this month after an intoxicated Teague sexually harassed two University employees.
The first reported harassment occurred at a University leadership retreat last month at Breezy Point Resort, which cost the school more than $10,000, FOX 9 reported.
In a statement issued by the University last week, the two employees who were harassed — Ann Aronson and Erin Dady — said Teague’s behavior was “frightening and wrong.”
“Our senior leaders, in particular, must at the highest standards and set a positive example,” Kaler said in a statement earlier this month after the resignation was announced. “Norwood has acknowledged his inappropriate behavior … I believe his resignation [was] the appropriate response.”
Since the first two women have come forward, a Star Tribune sports reporter has also said Teague sexually harassed her.
Before he was hired at the University, Virginia Commonwealth University — where Teague was the athletic director — settled a complaint for $125,000 after a complaint that he sexually discriminated against a female employee at the school, the Star Tribune reported.
The University also settled with a former athletic department employee for $175,000 after she was fired in 2012 by Teague.
“[Teague] expected a woman in my position to take a passive role and defer to men’s opinions,” the complaint made by Regina Sullivan, a former senior associate athletic director, said, according to the Star Tribune.
The University paid an outside search firm $112,000 to help find Teague, who was hired in 2012. Neither Teague nor the search disclosed the VCU complaint to the University, according to MPR News.
In the aftermath of Teague’s resignation, the University has hired an external law firm to investigate the University’s athletic department throughout his tenure, according to MPR News.
Still, some University boosters have said that they think Kaler should admit fault over Teague’s hiring, despite claims that he was thoroughly vetted by the search firm, the Pioneer Press reported.
Beth Goetz will continue to lead the athletic department until a new one can be chosen. Prior to Teague’s resignation, she worked as a deputy athletic director at the University.
Kaler said he hopes to have a new athletic director hired by next July, according to MPR News.