Arts academy condemns conduct of some members

NEW YORK (AP) - The American Academy of Arts and Letters is condemning the "abhorrent" conduct of members facing sexual harassment allegations, but otherwise is declining to take further action.

Authors Sherman Alexie and Garrison Keillor and architect Richard Meier are among the academy members who have been criticized. The academy board offered no comment on Tuesday beyond its statement, which called the allegations "disturbing" and acknowledged that some members had been "implicated."

The academy is an honor society with a core membership of 250 writers, musicians, architects and visual artists. Founded in 1898, it rarely expels or reprimands members. Sculptor Hunt Diederich was kicked out in the 1940s for using the organization's letterhead to distribute anti-Semitic material.