USC Medical School Dean Out Amid Revelations of Sexual Harassment Claim, $135,000 Settlement with Researcher

After the dean of USC’s medical school resigned last year amid long-running complaints about his drinking and boorish treatment of colleagues, university leaders assured students and faculty that his successor would be worthy of respect.  The man USC chose, however, had a black mark on his own personnel record. USC formally disciplined the dean, Dr. Rohit Varma, in 2003 following allegations that he sexually harassed the young researcher while he was a junior professor supervising her work, according to confidential personnel records reviewed by The Times and interviews with people familiar with the university investigation.