U. of Wisconsin System Opens Second Investigation Into Alleged Harassment by Chancellor’s Husband

The University of Wisconsin System will open a second investigation into alleged sexual misconduct by Pete Hill, husband of the Whitewater campus’s chancellor, according to a university statement.

For more on this story, see Jack Stripling’s article on two new accusers.

In June, Hill was banned from the campus and stripped of an honorary position after an investigation found that he had sexually harassed female employees at Whitewater. Beverly A. Kopper, the university’s chancellor, wrote a letter last week to the campus about the results of that investigation.

Since the initial investigation, another woman has accused Hill of sexually harassing her when she was a student-government leader on the campus, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

“Given the University of Wisconsin System’s unwavering commitment to provide a safe educational and work environment, we are opening a new investigation into the most recent allegations related to UW-Whitewater,” said a university spokeswoman in the statement.

Also on Tuesday, Kopper said in a separate statement that the allegations against her husband were unexpected.

“I was notified by the UW System about the allegations involving my husband, and they took me completely by surprise,” the statement says. “At the end of the independent UW System investigation, I concurred with the need for disciplinary action, and I immediately implemented it. My focus remains on a commitment to excellence at UW-Whitewater.”

Fernanda Zamudio-Suaréz is breaking-news editor. Follow her on Twitter @FernandaZamudio, or email her at fzamudiosuarez@chronicle.com.