Rutgers University dean accused of recording ‘upskirt’ videos while on the job

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A dean at Rutgers University is accused of recording “upskirt” videos while working at the university on a mobile device.

The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office said that Joshua Kohut was arrested and charged with fourth-degree invasion of privacy Tuesday.

Kohut, who has been with the university for 29 years, is the dean of research at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and research director at the New Jersey Agriculture Experiment Station. According to his resume, he has held both positions since 2025. He is also a professor in the marine and coastal sciences department.

Five electronic devices were seized Monday during the execution of a search warrant, according to the criminal complaint provided to WHYY News. One device was found to have “upskirt” videos, according to the attorney general’s office.

“An invasion of privacy like this is not just disturbing, it is also a criminal act. We will prosecute accordingly,” said Attorney General Jennifer Davenport in a news release.

Kohut, 51, faces up to 18 months in prison and up to a $10,000 fine if convicted. As of Wednesday, he did not have a defense attorney, according to electronic court records.

It is not known if any or all of the victims were students. Anyone who believes they were a victim or knows of someone who may have been a victim is being asked to call the state Department of Law and Public Safety at 609-780-5449.

Rutgers spokeswoman Dory Devlin said in a statement that Kohut was placed on administrative leave after the university was informed of the “extremely disturbing charges.” He has also been banned from campus pending the outcome of an investigation, Devlin said.

This is the latest controversy involving a dean at New Jersey’s state university.

Jacqueline S. Mattis, dean of the Rutgers-Newark School of Arts and Sciences, is accused of making thousands of dollars by doing business with the university through a company she co-owns with her sister, despite state ethics law forbidding such dealings.

The university is investigating an ethics complaint against Mattis.