Facing Misconduct Investigation, Professor Taught Elsewhere

James Peterson resigned as a professor of English and Africana studies at Lehigh University during a 2018 investigation into his alleged sexual misconduct, and he was hired less than two years later as an adjunct instructor at Millersville University of Pennsylvania, according to Lancaster Online. Peterson passed several criminal background checks prior to his Millersville hire, but a news search would have revealed reports of his case at Lehigh -- including an employee’s lawsuit alleging that he is a serial harasser. An internal email from Lehigh’s provost obtained by Lancaster Online also says that the university would have had sufficient cause to terminate Peterson had he not resigned. A spokesperson for Millersville reportedly said that there were no human resources complaints against Peterson during his time on campus but that he no longer works there. Peterson could not be reached for comment.