Iowa adviser accused of trading tickets for sex

• An athletics adviser for Iowa allegedly traded football tickets and money for sex.
• Complaints against Peter Gray include making sexual comments to touching student's genitals.
• Gray resigned Monday as associate director of Athletic Student Services.

A senior academics adviser for the University of Iowa Athletics Department who resigned this week allegedly provided football tickets and money for sexual favors and inappropriately touched student-athletes, documents obtained by the (Iowa City) Press-Citizen show.

An internal UI investigation turned up a long list of sexual harassment violations by Peter Gray, who stepped down Monday from his post as associate director of Athletic Student Services and director of academic advising and counseling. This semester, his duties included one-on-one counseling to members of the UI women's basketball, men's golf and men's and women's swimming teams.

Allegations against Gray, who was employed by the UI Athletics Department from 1993 to 1995 and again from 2002 until Monday, ranged from making sexual comments in a presentation to recruits and their parents to touching a student's genitals, the six-page internal report says.

Gray's inappropriate behavior was at least observed during his initial employment in the 1990s and persisted through this fall, the document says.

"Several individuals stated that they commented to Dr. Gray and/or brought the information to the attention of a supervisor. Several individuals stated that the touching behavior took place during Dr. Gray's first employment with the University and has continued from 2002 to the present," the document, dated Oct. 24, states.

Gray also was found to have inappropriate photographs stored on his work computer, including two that involved individuals engaged in sex acts with toys or stuffed animals, numerous pictures of college-aged individuals posing in swimsuits and a few of individuals dressed in underwear, the document states.

Gray also admitted that he had a photograph of male swim team members posing in their swimsuits as a screen saver on his work computer, the document states. Gray's supervisor also said he saw an inappropriate photo on Gray's Facebook page and asked him to remove it, the document states.

Gray does not have a listed phone number, and no one answered the door Friday at an address associated with his name in an online listing.

When asked Wednesday about Gray's departure, UI athletics director Gary Barta said Gray resigned because of "personal reasons." UI Director of Athletic Communications Steve Roe on Friday said Barta would not comment on the matter because it was a personnel issue. A message left for Fred Mims, associate director of athletics for Athletic Student Service and Compliance, was not returned Friday.

Tysen Kendig, vice president for strategic communication, declined comment on behalf of UI, saying the the university does not publicly discuss internal personnel matters.

UI Public Safety Director Chuck Green said UIPD is not investigating any complaints against Gray.

It remains unclear how long Gray's superiors were aware of his misconduct, which appears to have been an issue the office for years, and why only this fall it became the subject of a UI inquiry. Also unclear is if Gray was suspended during or after the investigation, and why he was allowed to resign and was not terminated after investigators reached their conclusion that he had violated UI's Policy on Sexual Harassment.

In the report, an unnamed UI student told investigators that Gray had exchanged money and football tickets in return for sexual favors from another person who was not affiliated with the university. Gray admitted to providing the tickets and money during the 2011 football season to the individual, whom he said he had met once before in person, but denied it was for sexual favors, the report states.

Investigators from University Human Resources and UI's Office of Equal Opportunity and Employment reviewed text messages, e-mails and photographs as part of their inquiry, the report states. They found that Gray had, in fact, received three nude photographs during the 2011 season from the individual to whom he had given the tickets and money, the report states.

The unnamed student also told investigators that Gray touched his or her genital area on one occasion, in addition to other inappropriate touching, and Gray had offered to perform oral sex, the report states.

"Dr. Gray admitted he made the sexually explicit comments, including the offer of oral sex, but he could not remember to whom he made the statements, when, or how often," the report states.

According to the document, Gray had a long track record of inappropriate behavior in the workplace, dating back to his first stint working at UI in the 1990s. Investigators said in the report the majority of people they interviewed who worked in the Department of Athletics Student Service and Compliance were concerned about Gray's behavior with student-athletes. Co-workers and former employees said that during his first employment at UI, and from 2002 to present, they repeatedly witnessed Gray hugging, patting and rubbing the shoulders and hair of student-athletes in a manner that was not casual or professional, and was unsolicited by the student athletes, the report states.

"The touching was described as overly friendly, prolonged in nature, and generally inappropriate for a professional in an academic advising or work setting," the report said.

Gray's behavior did not go unreported, according to investigators. A few individuals said they had brought Gray's inappropriate behavior to Gray's attention, but it continued. Gray's supervisor acknowledged to investigators receiving reports from staff, coaches and at least one student-athlete about Gray's behavior, both at work and in "local establishments that are frequented by student-athletes."

The supervisor, who was not named, stated that he admonished Gray multiple times about his behavior, the report states.

A publicly accessible online MySpace account under Gray's name, which appears to have gone unused in recent years, contains a number of photos dated 2008 showing Gray fraternizing in bars with males who appear to be college aged. In one photo, Gray appears to be trying to lick the back of the ear of one male while holding a drink.

This fall, two coaches requested that Gray's supervisor not allow him to make a presentation to prospective student-athletes and their parents after the coaches said Gray made inappropriate sexual comments during a previous presentation, which Gray denied, the report states. Gray's supervisor reassigned him from the tasks, and his team assignments also changed recently because of tensions with athletes and coaches, the report states.

The report said several people told investigators Gray's conduct affected their ability to work or attend school. One former employee told investigators that Gray's conduct was a factor in their decision to leave their job at UI, while others specifically requested not to work with him, the report states.

According to UI's sexual harassment policy, violations can lead to sanctions "up to and including termination or separation" from UI. The policy states that in "extraordinary circumstances," administrators can suspend or partially restrict employment a person accused of sexual harassment.

Gray's salary was $71,297. His job duties at the Gerdin Academic Learning Center included serving as a functional supervisor to the academic coordinators, and providing one-one-one counseling, mentoring and academic advising to student-athletes. He also provided adult supervision and assistance one night a week at the Gerdin Center, and assisted student-athletes.

According to a biography on the university's web site, Gray was a high school teacher and coach in Indiana from 1978 to 1988. He has also had stints at athletics departments for Austin Peay University, the University of Mississippi and Indiana University, as well as for the administration at Coastal Carolina University.

Josh O'Leary writes for the Iowa City Press-Citizen.