Investigation finds College of Education and Human Development dean did not violate laws or policy

An external review of Temple University’s College of Education and Human Development found that dean Gregory Anderson’s leadership has not violated any laws or university policies despite complaints about his conduct from half of the college’s full-time faculty, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. 

“While the independent investigation of the College of Education and Human Development (COEHD) revealed no violation of law or Temple policy, we recognize that challenges exist between the college’s leadership and several concerned faculty members,” wrote Steve Orbanek, a spokesperson for the university, in a statement to The Temple News. “We are committed to improving this working environment, and Dean Gregory Anderson is committed to this, too.”

Temple has asked Anderson and leaders of the College of Education and Human Development’s faculty and administration to work through a “plan for change” over the next several months and will evaluate his progress after 60 days, Orbanek added.

Temple hired Stradley Ronon, a Philadelphia-based law firm, in February to conduct a review of the culture and climate of the College of Education and Human Development. The investigation included interviews with 42 people and began after the university’s Ethics and Compliance Office received complaints about issues within the college, including its hiring, budgetary and governance practices, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. 

In July 2020, half of the college’s 70 full-time faculty signed a letter in July 2020 raising issues with Anderson’s leadership, including complaints of hostile behavior, retaliation, bullying, harassment and intimidation, The Temple News reported.

Throughout the investigation, Anderson has maintained that his leadership of the college adheres to university policies and contractual obligations, he wrote in a statement to The Temple News.

“We can all do better, myself included,” Anderson wrote. “I look forward to reenergizing our efforts toward what has always been the mission of the college: to support and uplift our students with a continued emphasis on BIPOC and underrepresented student populations.”