University of California Berkeley Provost Claude Steele resigned from his position on Friday in the wake of allegations that he mishandled sexual harassment claims. The claims were made against the dean of the law school, Sujit Choudhry, according to an April 15 New York Times article.

While he will be stepping down from the provost position, Steele will remain at Berkeley as a professor in the Psychology department.

Citing his wife’s “ongoing health challenges” in an open letter to the Berkeley community, published on the UC Berkeley website, Steele wrote that he “can no longer offer UC Berkeley the time and level of commitment it needs from its EVCP, while at the same time being a part of my family in the way I want to be. While I am sad to leave the central administration and my beloved colleagues there, my consolation is that I won’t be far away.”

In an open letter published on the UC Berkeley website, Chancellor Nicholas Dirks lauded Steele for his efforts to promote budget reform and increase diversity on the Berkeley campus.

Steele was the subject of intense scrutiny after he allowed Choudhry to remain in his position after investigators determined he had repeatedly kissed, hugged and touched his executive assistant, according to an April 15 Los Angeles Times article.

As sanctions for his actions, Choudhry had his pay cut by 10 percent and was ordered to undergo counseling and issue an apology, but he has since resigned from the position, the article noted.

Steele’s replacement has yet to be determined, though Dan Mogulof, a spokesman for Berkeley, said that an interim provost would be named within the next few days, according to the New York Times article.

—Abby Patkin