False charge spurs lawsuit at Calif. U.

The Associated Press William Parnell, 62, was fired on sexual harassment charges, and then reinstated after an arbitrator found no evidence against him. He resigned Friday, saying university President Angelo Armenti continued to attack him, causing his health and reputation to suffer. ''Armenti's continued unfounded claims created health and stress problems for Professor Parnell,'' said Chuck Thomas, president of the faculty union. Armenti declined to comment on Parnell's resignation. ''I have heard nothing about it,'' Armenti said. ''After I see the letter, I perhaps will be in a position to comment on it.'' The university president had once alleged that Parnell failed graduate student Cheryl Gray because she alleged another professor sexually harassed her. Armenti also claimed that Parnell sexually harassed students with improper comments or touching. Arbitrator Seymour Strongin ruled that Parnell had good academic reasons for giving Gray a failing grade. He also said he found no validity to the charge that Parnell had failed Gray because of her allegations. Nor did the arbitrator find any credibility that Parnell himself had harassed students. Those charges were seven to 19 years old. Armenti fired Parnell, a California professor for 28 years, in November 1996. In February, an arbitrator ordered Parnell reinstated and awarded him about $85,000 in back pay after finding no proof that Parnell ever sexually harassed students and determining that Parnell had good academic reasons for failing Gray. Armenti fired another education professor, Bob Brown, in 1996 during a sexual harassment probe. He came back to work in March with an arbitrator's blessing, but Armenti immediately suspended him with pay because of an 11-year-old sexual harassment complaint against him by a former student. Brown has since returned to work, and he and Parnell are suing Armenti and the university. The university is appealing a ruling that it must rehire Arshad Chawdry, a professor of business accused of forcing kisses on a secretary and another professor. The university paid the women at least $600,000. Faculty leaders have criticized Armenti for overruling them on students' grades, especially for athletes. Earlier this month, the state Board of Governors of Higher Education approved extending Armenti's contract through 2001.