University Activity Center Incident: College Professor Allegedly Exposed Himself to Students

A Texas A&M University professor, Russell Taylor Johns, was arrested on charges of indecent exposure. The incident reportedly occurred earlier this year at the University of Texas.

Johns was taken into custody by campus police and later released on a $7,000 bond. According to reports, he allegedly exposed himself and touched himself inappropriately in a student activity center while watching female students. A staff member witnessed the act and reported it to authorities.

Initially, the University of Texas police issued a criminal trespass warning to Johns. After further investigation, a Spanish-speaking officer interviewed the victim, who explained that Johns had been staring at two students while exposing himself.

In July, Texas A&M announced Johns’ recent hiring as a professor in the Harold Vance Department of Petroleum Engineering. They had high hopes for his extensive background, believing he would enhance the department’s education and research. However, his current employment status is unclear as he had not yet begun teaching at the time of his arrest.

Johns previously worked at Penn State as a Professor Emeritus and was also part of the University of Texas faculty from 1995 to 2010. According to Texas law, indecent exposure is classified as a misdemeanor, with potential penalties of up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

This incident raises important discussions about accountability in academic settings. Universities need to ensure safe environments for students. According to a recent survey by the Association of American Universities, over 25% of female students reported experiencing sexual harassment on campus. Cases like Johns’ remind us of the ongoing challenges institutions face in addressing and preventing such behavior.

For more details, you can read the original report on KBTX.



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