State places university psychologist Cara Hale on probation over sex with graduate assistant

July 11, 2013

On February 15, 2013, the Iowa Board of Psychology placed psychologist Cara Hale’s license on probation for up to four years. The Board’s document states that Hale, who was at that time employed as a senior staff psychologist at Iowa State University (ISU), engaged in improper sexual contact with a coworker and failed to comply with Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Specifically, the document states that Hale had a sexual relationship with a male graduate assistant while he was under her supervision. Further, the document states that Hale confided in a female graduate student who she was mentoring and supervising, information about her personal life, including information about her husband, who was one of the student’s professors at ISU. Lastly, another intern in the ISA psychology program reported to program directors that she was offended by a sexual comment Hale made about the intern’s husband. Hale, who was working at a federal facility in California when the probation order was issued, resigned from position and subsequently surrendered her Iowa license.