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Students in the Academic Advancement Program are expressing support for their organization’s director, who could face sanctions for allegedly violating University of California policy by having a relationship with a student.

Adolfo Bermeo had been involved with a student and apologized for it this quarter to his Chicana/o studies M124 class, said a student who has worked with Bermeo and asked not to be named in this story.

Bermeo, who is also UCLA’s associate vice provost for diversity, declined to comment Tuesday. He did not respond to phone calls and e-mails placed since Friday.

“Bermeo is a very respected man on campus,” said the student, who speculated that the AAP counseling program housed in Campbell Hall would be a “mess” if Bermeo had to give up his post.

AAP is a UCLA tutoring program that aims to help its approximately 6,500 students attain academic success.

The university would not discuss whether it was investigating Bermeo or what actions, if any, it would take against him.

According to an e-mail Friday from UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton quoting UCLA spokesman Lawrence Lokman, someone recently informed the university of “misconduct” by an employee.

Lokman said UCLA immediately began a “thorough review of the matter” and takes seriously any breach of policy. He added the university does not intend to comment until the inquiry is complete.

Though spokespeople provided the statement in response to a question about Bermeo’s situation, Hampton declined to name the employee involved. He also said he did not know when UCLA would finish its investigation or whether it would provide further information later.

The UC Board of Regents amended its systemwide policy regarding faculty conduct in July 2003 to prohibit faculty from having “a romantic or sexual relationship with any student for whom a faculty member has, or should reasonably expect to have in the future, academic responsibility (instructional, evaluative, or supervisory).” The ban includes consensual relationships.

According to the UC Faculty Code of Conduct, violations of systemwide policy can result in written censure, reduction in salary, demotion, suspension, denial or curtailment of emeritus status, or dismissal from the university.

The Teacher’s Guide, a summary of UCLA policies published by the Office of Instructional Development, discourages student-faculty dating, saying such relationships could seriously compromise the academic environment. That was the standard in place at UCLA before 2003.

Bermeo is a faculty member of the Chicana/o studies department and focuses his study on Latina/o immigrants and their cultural, political, social and economic experiences in the United States.

He is widely regarded as a well-respected member of the campus community, and in 1998 received the Chancellor’s Fair and Open Academic Environment Award, which honors those who promote a fair, open and diverse academic atmosphere.

According to archives on AAP’s Web site, in presenting the award to Bermeo, Chancellor Albert Carnesale said, “Working with you and our colleagues at AAP has been among the most rewarding experiences of my first year at UCLA. Your dedication, determination and ability are truly outstanding, and are enormous assets to the university, to the community and to the AAP student body.”

Bermeo earned his doctorate at UCLA in 1981 and began working at the university in 1985. Having been AAP director for two decades, Bermeo is credited for building the organization from “a program of remediation to one of excellence,” said Judi Smith, vice provost for undergraduate education in the UCLA College when Bermeo received the award, according to the AAP site.

With reports from Charles Proctor, Bruin senior staff.