Professor Corneliu Gașpar, a lecturer at the University of Life Sciences in Iași, who teaches the course „Ethics and Academic Integrity,” has been placed in pre-trial detention for 30 days, accused of raping a student.
Corneliu Gașpar, 57 years old, an associate professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, is accused of, on July 9, after an exam, calling a student into his office and forcing her to have sexual intercourse against her will. The young woman filed a complaint with the Police, and the university’s management launched an internal investigation.
"Based on the evidence gathered, on December 16, the 57-year-old man was detained for 24 hours by the police. On the same date, he was presented to the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Iași Court and the Iași Tribunal, so the court ordered his preventive detention for 30 days," stated representatives of the Iași County Police Inspectorate.
According to the university investigation, the professor allegedly continued indecent behaviors in the fall. On September 25 and October 3, he reportedly touched and kissed the same student in the hallways of the faculty, actions captured by surveillance cameras.
"The cameras in the hallway where his office is located recorded what the student declared. Touches, kisses, hugging, right in the hallway," stated Vasile Stoleru, the Vice-Rector of USV Iași.
The university's Ethics Committee unanimously decided to dismiss Corneliu Gașpar from all teaching and research positions.
The professor has been teaching at USV Iași for over 25 years. Students claim that he was known for making sexually suggestive jokes. "I don't think there was a class with him without a bad joke about someone," a student stated.