FARMINGTON, Maine (AP) — University of Maine at Farmington officials announced the termination of a part-time faculty member Tuesday after the school reviewed allegations that he sexually abused a minor at a New York City school in the 1990s.
University President Edward Serna announced in a statement that Bruce McInnes had been terminated on Jan. 10. The school found out about the allegations in the fall, placed McInnes on administrative leave and conducted a review, The Sun Journal reported.
McInnes, 83, was named by the plaintiff as his abuser in a claim filed in the New York State Supreme Court on Nov. 20, 2019, against the Grace Church of New York, the Grace Church School, and the Episcopal Diocese of New York, the newspaper reported.
The university said they were not aware of any local allegations of abuse during or before his employment at Farmington, and that he has been barred for employment within the University of Maine system.
“We must take allegations of sexual abuse seriously, act swiftly to address risks to our community, and communicate openly to create awareness and connect people to the resources we have available to support victims of abuse,” Serna said in the statement. “We encourage anyone who needs support or has information to share to speak with our trained support staff.”
Serna says while the investigation in New York is ongoing the seriousness of the allegations and the findings of the review warrants the termination to “address an unacceptable risk.”
A call to a phone number listed under McInnes’s name was not returned.
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