The University of Wisconsin Whitewater Associate to the Chancellor, and husband of Chancellor Beverly Kopper, has been removed from his position at the university due to sexual harassment allegations. Alan “Pete” Hill’s appointment was revoked on June 22, following a UW System investigation of a report made by a UW-W employee in April.

The investigation report alleges that the unnamed woman had been subjected to several incidents of unwanted and unwelcome touching by Hill. The report laid out three specific instances of inappropriate physical contact.

The first incident occurred in 2015. The employee stated that Hill came into her office, shut the door behind him and walked around her desk to where she was. He proceeded to give her a “full body” hug which lasted “too long,” and whispered something in her ear.

The second occurrence was within weeks of the first incident in 2015. The woman passed the hall outside a room where Hill was seated at a conference table, apparently reviewing stacks of documents. He reportedly waved her into the room and stood uncomfortably close to her, took her face in his hand and leaned in for what seemed to be a kiss on the mouth. She turned her head away, and Hill kissed her on the cheek and whispered something into her ear.

The third incident occurred in April 2018 during a meeting with members of UW-W administration, including Hill and Chancellor Kopper. The woman reported that not less than three times Hill grabbed her knee under the table and tablecloth while referencing ongoing work matters with conversational points like “I can help you with that,” squeezing her knee each time.

In the first interview Hill did for the investigation, he did not categorically deny hugging or kissing the woman as described in the report, instead stating that he “did not remember.”

Hill said of the April 2018 incident that he only recalled touching her knee one time in an attempt to massage his own calf.

The woman made it clear she did not want to embarrass the Chancellor with the report. She said she simply wanted Hill’s unwelcome advances to “go away.”

“Chancellor Kopper immediately implemented the recommended actions from our independent investigation. I am confident the Chancellor will continue to make the well-being of the UW-Whitewater campus community a top priority. As with all of our Chancellors, I know Chancellor Kopper shares our commitment to ensure that University of Wisconsin System campuses are welcoming and secure places to live, learn and work,” said UW System president Ray Cross, in a statement to the Royal Purple.

Although the investigation has not been concluded, the UW System has stated Hill’s alleged actions constitute sexual harassment under UW-W policy.  According to the university website, contact the Dean of Students office to report sexual assault or harassment.