His resignation in 1990 came following formal charges of making indecent phone calls to households in the Fairfax area over the course of several weeks that year.

Sometimes she would be furious for no apparent reason; then, in a snap, she could suddenly become incredibly loving, supportive, and fun.”[citation needed] Berendzen began experiencing sexual abuse in his home at this time.

[3] Berendzen continued to Harvard as a graduate student where he served as a teaching assistant for both William Liller and Carl Sagan.

[2][6] During his 10-year tenure as president, Berendzen and his wife Gail averaged eleven Washington social functions every week and the university's endowment tripled in size.

[8] Kashoggi was removed from the board in 1989 after facing charges of racketeering, fraud and obstruction of justice pertaining to his dealings in the Philippines.

In addition to his responsibilities at American University, Berendzen chaired the commission on the Budget and Financial Priorities of the District of Columbia[11][when?]

[19] Under the auspices of the New York Academy of Sciences and the American Astronomical Society, Berendzen organized and chaired a major international conference, titled "Education in and History of Modern Astronomy.

[23][24] In March 1990, daycare owner Susan Allen received a phone call from a man claiming to be a gynecologist and inquiring about her sexual habits.

[30][31] Once the case became public, more than two dozen other daycare providers in the Fairfax area reported to police that they had also received obscene calls.

[33] In 1992, Berendzen returned to American University as a full-time physics professor and served in that role until he retired in August 2006.