U.S. professor accused of spanking female student to resign

WASHINGTON, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Mahmoud Hamad, an associate professor on political science at Drake University in the U.S. state of Iowa, will be allowed to resign over accusation of threatening to spank a female student, local media reported Friday.

An internal investigation by the university found Hamad, 42, "physically, sexually and verbally intimidated female students and did exploit the power differential that existed between him and his female students," according to a FOX News report.

"Drake University is committed to the safety and well-being of all students, and especially those who have the courage to come forward with a complaint," Jared Bernstein, director of the university's public relations, told Fox News in a statement.

Nickey Jafari, 24, a graduate of the university, was the first student to speak out about Hamad's misconduct.

She wrote a Facebook post last year amid the #MeToo movement, accusing that during a student trip to Egypt in 2011, Hamad, as the group's leader and instructor, "asked her to sit on his lap" and she did twice.

The professor also reportedly asked Jafari to call him "Dad" and threatened to "spank" her if she did not receive all A's.

Investigators found Jafari's claims "credible" and found the professor "violated university policies through unwelcome advances and unwelcome verbal and physical conduct and intimidation aimed at female students because of their sex."

Hamad's resignation will be effective June 1. He is now placed on a leave of absence and "has no teaching or academic responsibilities" at the college.

The university did not refer the case to the Des Moines Police Department.

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