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C. L. Max Nikias, president of the University of Southern California, issued a letter to the campus Tuesday about growing concerns over a scandal involving a former dean of the medical school, Carmen A. Puliafito. An article in the Los Angeles Times reported that Puliafito, prior to resigning as dean last year, had been spending time with drug users and criminals, had used methamphetamine and other illegal drugs, and had been photographed doing so in numerous locations, including his office at USC. Shortly after the article appeared, the university announced that he was on leave from his faculty position and would not be seeing patients. But the idea that a dean of a medical school could be engaged in such conduct has stunned many on campus. Puliafito has yet to comment.
In his letter, published by the Times, Nikias said that there were limits on what he could say, because of privacy rules regarding employees. But he did write that the university "categorically condemns the unlawful possession, use or distribution of drugs." He also wrote that drug use is not uncommon and "impacts individuals at all levels of society." And he noted numerous reports of people in powerful positions who "function in their workplace but have serious issues affecting their private lives."
Nikias added, "We understand the frustrations expressed about this situation, and we want to assure our community that we are taking all the proper steps to examine and address it. More broadly, we are working to determine how we can best prevent these kinds of circumstances moving forward."
