Texas President Suspended for Affair

Harlingen, Texas -- The president of Texas State Technical College here has been suspended without pay for three months for having a 10-year-long affair with the dean of business services. Meanwhile, the dean is suing him for sexual harassment.

The president, J. Gilbert Leal, was suspended this month by the Board of Regents. When he returns to work, he will be on probation for the rest of the year.

College officials learned of his involvement with Maria Christina Lucio, dean of business services, during her divorce proceedings. The officials said their decision to suspend him was unrelated to the lawsuit she filed against Mr. Leal in November. Ms. Lucio claimed in her suit that he had harassed her for 10 years and ultimately, in 1992, raped her in her office. She also claimed that he demoted her, by giving her less authority, when she turned to officials for help.

“He made it clear to her that her continued success within the Texas State system would be connected to her submission to his sexual advances,” said Ms. Lucio’s lawyer, Rodney Sites.

Cecil L. Groves, chancellor of the college system, said officials had investigated her claims last year and concluded that the relationship was consensual. He also denied that she had been demoted. Chancellor Groves said such a relationship between two executive officers was inappropriate. Ms. Lucio was placed on a 60-day leave last summer. Mr. Leal did not return telephone calls.