A Mercer professor who started in 1973 was put on administrative leave after a sequence of complaints were made, including one by a minor who alleges he made inappropriate sexual comments toward her in class.
Chemistry professor, Carlo Alfare, did not return to Mercer this fall as verified by the fall course schedule. The 83 year old professor has tenure, so any procedure to remove him from his job would entail a lengthy process through a special adjudication body known as the Administrative Law Judges (ALJ).
Faculty who have faced serious, verifiable allegations of wrongdoing in the past, have typically resigned rather than go through that process. In the meantime, Professor Alfare has due process rights the school must follow.
When students arrived for their 2023 Fall Chemistry classes, they were surprised to see Professor Helen Tanzini, director of the Chemistry Department, greeting them instead of Dr. Alfare.
In an email to The VOICE, Professor Tanzini wrote, “At the request of the college administration, I covered some of Professor Alfare’s classes in the summer. As far as I know, he is on leave and will be retiring at the end of the academic year. I really do not have any additional information.”
Although Dr. Alfare is thought to be retiring, The VOICE can confirm that there is a formal investigation into the allegations made by the students.
Anne, a student who asked to be referred to by a pseudonym to protect her privacy, was a student of Dr. Aflare’s. She said initial complaints leading up to the investigation were submitted to Kevin Duffy, Dean of Math, Science, and Health Professions which oversees the Chemistry department, in April of 2023 and again during the summer 2023 semester.
One of the complaints the students took to the Dean included allegations that Dr. Alfare made inappropriate remarks of a sexual nature. Cara, who also asked to be referred to by another name, was in Dr. Alfare’s summer 2023 class. She said that during the lab she left the table for a few minutes. When she returned, Dr. Alfare was sitting in her seat.
She said, “The actual lab professor, Professor Dorneman, had to come by and say, ‘Alfare, get out of their seat.’ [Dr. Alfare] said, ‘Well, she could just sit on my lap.’ And then when I said that I was 17, and not out of high school yet, and that that was gross, he said, ‘Good for you then,’ seemingly ignoring the ‘gross’ bit.”
Professor Dorneman did not respond to requests for comment.
Another complaint students made against Dr. Alfare, was that he treated students with disability accommodations inappropriately. Accommodations may include, for disabilities such as ADHD, extra test taking time. Mercer’s Center for Accessibility Resources (CAR), which oversees students with accommodations, says on its website: “The College recognizes disability as an aspect of diversity and The Center works to ensure inclusive learning environments both by encouraging the college community to examine accessibility and through the delivery of effective academic accommodations to qualified individuals.”
Anne, who receives accommodations, alleges that Alfare routinely gave students a hard time about using them. Anne says he would announce in front of the entire class, “Why do you keep using your accommodations as a crutch? I know you’re smart. You don’t need it.”
Robert, another student with accommodations, and who also asked to be referred to by another name alleges that when he asked for extra time to finish a quiz, Dr. Alfare became upset with him and refused the request. Robert alleges he quickly finished the quiz and gave it to Alfare.
“[Dr. Alfare] took my quiz and he threw it in the trash, and I said, ‘No, you’re going to take my quiz and grade it,’ and I took it out of the trash. So, he said, ‘OK I’ll take it’ and he put it in the sink. I don’t think he turned the sink on, but he did put it in the sink while it was wet,” Robert says.
At the end of the summer semester multiple students contacted the Dean of Science to complain about the numerous incidents they say they had witnessed or been victims of.
Cara says, “We all got together and called the Dean of Science, individually, and told him about what Alfare was doing. I think, in the end, like nine people out of eighteen in the class called.”
Cara continued, “Then I think the Title IX investigation was opened. I was contacted about it, and I gave them all of the information I could.”
Title IX is an educational amendment that protects individuals from sex/gender harassment, discrimination and misconduct policy. Mercer has an anonymous Title IX form on their website, www.mccc.edu/communication_form.shtml, for students who feel they are being harassed or discriminated against based on sex/gender.
The VOICE attempted to contact Marvin Carter, Mercer’s Title IX coordinator, but he declined to comment.
When asked about Dr. Alfare’s administrative leave, Ellen Genovesi, Associate Professor of Biology and Science Department Chair, stated in an email that she was unable to comment on specifics.
Professor Genovesi wrote, “Since I was part of the formal investigation, there is a limit to what I can contribute.” She continued, “All student concerns are taken very seriously by the science department.”
When asked about what a student should do if they are having a problem with a faculty member, Professor Genovesi, speaking on behalf of the science department, went on to say, “The first recourse would be to discuss the situation with the instructor.”
She continued, “If a student does not feel comfortable doing this or the situation is not resolved, they should speak with the chemistry program coordinator. Depending on the severity of the concern this could involve meeting with the Science Department Chair and Dean.”
The VOICE attempted to contact Dean Duffy but he could not be reached for comment. Nicole Killian, Assistant to the Dean, confirmed he is out on medical leave.
When asked about what the students hope will happen as a result of speaking up, Matt, a student of Dr. Alfare’s who asked to be referred to by another name to protect his privacy, says, “I’m pretty sure people just wanted his behavior to stop. Of course, like shut him down, because he had like that needle, where he will insult you. And he’d completely laugh at you about it. He was that type of person. He would make fun of you for it, and then just laugh it off. Even if you say you find it insulting, he’d just laugh it off.”
Dr. Alfare did not respond to multiple requests for comment
