Report: Former FIU President Mark Rosenberg Acted In 'Unprofessional Manner That Crossed Appropriate Boundaries' With Female Employee

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – CBS4 News has obtained a copy of the internal investigation into former Florida International University President Mark Rosenberg who abruptly resigned in January under the cloud of a misconduct allegation.

The report concluded Rosenberg,72, "acted in a manner that was unprofessional and that he crossed the appropriate boundaries" with a female employee.

The female employee, in her 20s, told investigators Rosenberg "told her that he wanted her to be his `lover.'" Rosenberg "strenuously denies" ever using the word "lover," the report notes. But admitted he discussed she could become his "companion" when he retired.

The woman said she asked Rosenberg to stop his advances, but he continued anyway. The report also notes they found no other complaints from other women at FIU.

Investigators reviewed text messages between the woman and Rosenberg. The report notes "there are no `smoking guns'" but the texts show "an uncomfortable and inappropriate level of familiarity and informality on the part both of the President and the Female Employee."

The texts included pictures the female employee sent Rosenberg of her working out.

One evening when the employee arrived home after attending an event with Rosenberg, he wrote to her: "Missing you already - going into [Female Employee's Name] withdrawal!!"

The report notes Rosenberg, in two interviews with investigators, was "genuinely remorseful." But the investigation found that Rosenberg's "poor judgment simply is not compatible with the important position of President of a large complex enterprise such as FIU."

Rosenberg was leader of the state's second-largest university for 12 years and stepped down on January 21 rather than face a possible firing by FIU's Board of Trustees.

The internal investigation report was written by the law firm Isicoff Ragatz which was hired by the university to lead the investigation.