CT Professor Allegedly Gave Nazi Salute During Meeting: Report

BRIDGEPORT, CT – Officials said a Housatonic Community College professor has been put on leave after he allegedly gave a Nazi salute during a Nov. 2 Connecticut State Colleges and Universities meeting at Manchester Community College, as reported by the Hartford Courant.

According to faculty members in attendance, Charles Meyrick became agitated during the meeting and allegedly held his hand in a salute for five or 10 minutes, the Hartford Courant reported. He reportedly ceased the salute after campus police were called.

CSCU officials said told the newspaper an investigation is currently underway.

CSCU president Mark Ojakian said reports of the alleged incident were "appalling and unacceptable," according to the Stamford Advocate. He also said a number of faculty and staff members had reached out to him to say they felt "violated, unsafe and shocked" by the incident.

Faculty members said Meyrick was agitated over efforts to consolidate the state's 12 community colleges into a single statewide college, NBC Connecticut reported.

According to his Housatonic faculty bio page, Meyrick is the school's Assistant Professor of Business and Economics. His focus is on Economics and Finance.

He has received a B.A. from Wake Forest University and an M.B.A. from Boston University. He began teaching in 2009 after spending 34 years in Finance at IBM.

Housatonic is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. and its curricula are licensed and accredited by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education, according to the school website. It serves an 11-town area.

Read the full Hartford Courant story here.

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