Former Otterbein theater professor, Ed Vaughan, has been accused of sexual imposition.
Following an alleged incident with a female student during a performance last spring, Vaughan, 64, was accused of a third-degree misdemeanor according to court records. Third-degree misdemeanors carry a maximum jail term of 60 days and up to a $500 fine in Ohio. Vaughan was put on leave and then retired over the summer according to Jennifer Pearce, executive director of Marketing and Communications at Otterbein.
The incident allegedly occurred on May 11, and it’s unclear whether Otterbein Police handled the investigation. OPD has refused to release the police report to Otterbein360. The city prosecutor handling the case, Michael Fultz, said he would not release the Otterbein incident report. Otterbein Police have a policy in place to decline to release police reports from campus.
Otterbein360 attempted to contact Vaughan through his attorney, Tim Merkle, who declined to comment on the case. Merkle has instructed his client to decline, also. The arraignment hearing is scheduled for October 22 at the Franklin County Municipal Court.
Susan Eiselstein, the interim director of Human Resources said in an email, “As required, an investigation is initiated following receipt of a complaint or upon awareness of a potential violation.” Students who wish to register a complaint against a university employee are directed to Eiselstein. There is a fact sheet in OZone’s Campus Life tab on Title IX and students’ rights.
Keep a look out for more updates on the situation at Otterbein360.com.
