As of Wednesday afternoon, Albertus Magnus College no longer officially honors Gordon Edelstein, who as of Tuesday evening no longer serves as artistic director of Long Wharf Theatre.
Albertus President Marc Camille announced Wednesday that the Catholic Dominican college’s Board of Trustees has voted to rescind an honorary degree that it awarded last May to Edelstein, when he was still riding high as Long Wharf’s public face.
A New York Times expose published Monday — which detailed years worth of alleged serial sexual misconduct committed by Edelstein at the theater — included an allegation that around the time he received the honorary degree, he twice joked to staff that he had had sex with “all the nuns” at Albertus. Long Wharf’s board fired Edelstein the next day.
Before Albertus’s trustee vote, Camille sent a letter to the Albertus community calling the Times article’s allegations “shocking and concerning … represent[ing] behavior that is in complete opposition to the core values that define the Catholic and Domincan, values-based education offered at Albertus Magnus College.”
The letter quoted Dominican Sr. Patricia Twohill expressing “deep offen[se]” at Edelstein’s “salacious joke.”
“Our hearts go out to all women victimized by any abuse of power. We hope that as more women speak out and name their experience of sexual harassment, this will lead to a safer and more respectful work environment for everyone.”
Edelstein has not responded to the allegations.
Click here for an earlier article about the local fallout from the Times expose.
Sr. Patricia Twohill don't mess...