Eastern’s athletic director, who recently was named in a sexual harassment complaint, was relieved of his duties and placed on 12 months paid administrative leave effective immediately, President William Perry said Monday afternoon.

Rich McDuffie, who was set to begin his 11th year as athletic director, will be replaced by Dan Nadler, the vice president for student affairs, on a temporary basis until the university names an interim Director of Athletics.

“He may be assigned special projects yet to be determined by the president,” said Vicki Woodard, the school’s director of media relations.

Under Eastern regulations, employees who have been with the school at least 5 years must be given a year’s notice before they can be terminated.

Perry called a meeting with the athletic department for 9 a.m. Tuesday.

According to Woodard, Perry said he felt it was “a time for a change in leadership in the department of athletics.”

The university had just finished an investigation into sexual harassment accusations made by Eastern’s Director of Athletic Development Pam Collins, who has been at Eastern for 30 years.

Woodard would not confirm or deny whether the decision was related to the accusations.

The investigation concluded that there was not enough evidence to find sexual harassment.