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Board Says No Conflict of Interest in U of C President's Relationship With Faculty

By Anthonia Akitunde in News on Feb 6, 2010 7:30PM

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University of Chicago President Robert Zimmer (from University of Chicago News Office)
The University of Chicago's board of trustees declared there was no conflict of interest in President Robert Zimmer's relationship with a professor, despite questions of whether he "played a role in decisions about her employment,"Chicago Breaking News reports.

According to sources and a campus newspaper, the Chicago Maroon, Zimmer has been dating classics professor Shadi Bartsch after separating from his wife Terese, a director at the university's Urban Education Institute, in September. Zimmer, who has been president of the University since July 2006, alerted officials of the relationship to ward off any claims of impropriety, the Maroon reported.

Martha Roth, dean of humanities, said Zimmer met with Bartch twice in 2008 as part of a group effort to keep her on staff, Chicago Breaking News reports. After 10 years at the university, Bartsch ultimately left in fall of 2008 for Brown University only to return in July 2009.

Zimmer has moved out of the president's home on campus, although events are still held there. He will not be involved in any decisions regarding Bartsch's pay or promotions, the report said. There is no policy against this type of relationship and sources say it should have no effect on the president's ability to administrate.

[Chicago Breaking News], [Chicago Maroon]