Indiana University fires staffer charged in anti-Jewish vandalism

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana University has fired an employee accused of anti-Jewish vandalism in a series of incidents on and near the Bloomington campus.

Mark Zacharias of Ellettsville had been a scholarship coordinator at the Hutton Honors College since the fall of 2003. Honors college dean Matthew Auer tells The Herald-Times that Zacharias was fired Tuesday.

University support staff union steward Peter Kaczmarczyk says the criminal charges against Zacharias weren't discussed during a meeting Friday about his job performance.

Zacharias faces a felony count of criminal mischief charging him with throwing a rock Nov. 30 that shattered the glass of an information board at IU's Goodbody Hall, which houses the school's Jewish studies program.

A message seeking comment was left Wednesday for defense attorney Samuel Shapiro.