More accusations surface against Chadima

More accusations surface against Chadima

Published Feb. 6, 2012 10:53 a.m. ET

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- University of Wisconsin campus police have opened an investigation into new misconduct allegations against a former top athletic official who resigned after he was accused of sexually assaulting a student at a Rose Bowl party.

University Chancellor David Ward released a statement Monday saying campus police have been investigating new allegations against former associate athletic director John Chadima since Jan. 30.

Ward didn't specify what Chadima may have done. The statement said the accusations involve an adult male and police will continue to investigate all allegations of "sexual impropriety or abuse of power brought to their attention."

The man doesn't want to press charges, Ward said, but police have decided that the man's story is credible and are working with Dane County prosecutors.

Ward also asked anyone who may have any information about any "inappropriate conduct" by Chadima to come forward, saying he has asked former Dane County Circuit Judge Patrick Fiedler to head an internal investigation. Fiedler led an internal probe into the Rose Bowl allegations as well.

Vince Sweeney, vice chancellor of university relations, declined to elaborate on the case Monday, saying only that the man came forward after the Rose Bowl accusations surfaced.

"It's a second allegation of misconduct. Even absent of a formal charge, it was felt it was prudent to continue an investigation," Sweeney said.

Wisconsin officials have said that the Penn State scandal that came to light last fall prompted them to review protocols for reporting sexual assaults. Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is accused of sexually assaulting young boys for years.

Several calls to a residential listing for Chadima failed to go through. Chadima's attorney, Charles Giesen, said he didn't know anything about the new accusations.

"I only know what's in the chancellor's release," Giesen said. "It's really vague. It's not clear what the allegation even is."

Campus police Sgt. Aaron Chapin declined to comment. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne didn't immediately return a message.

State Rep. Stephen Nass, a Whitewater Republican who chairs the Assembly's higher education committee, called on the university to launch a public investigation into Chadima's entire tenure at the school and a review of the athletic department's management.

Fiedler's report on the Rose Bowl incident, released last month, said Chadima threw a party in his Los Angeles hotel room for university staff and student employees on Dec. 30, three days before the Badgers faced Oregon in nearby Pasadena. The report said Chadima provided alcohol purchased with university athletic department gift funds. Some of the people at the party were under the legal drinking age.

During the early morning hours of Dec. 31, a male student employee was leaving when Chadima asked him to stay and have a drink with him. The student said they had a few more drinks and were probably drunk but were still coherent.

Chadima told the student he thought the student was gay, the report said, and he then reached over, put his hands inside the student's pants and touched his genitals.

The student said he slapped Chadima's hand away and swore at him. Chadima asked him what he was going to do about it and warned him, "I could have you fired."

The student left the room as Chadima attempted to gloss over the incident as "just joking around." The student went to his supervisor's hotel room to inform him of the incident.

Chadima was placed on administrative leave on Jan. 6 and resigned the same day. He has apologized for what he called "a lapse in judgment" and has said alcohol has controlled his life for the last few months.

"I will take full responsibility for my lack of judgment and actions that evening," he said.

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