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MADISON, Wis. (AP) - A University of Wisconsin-Madison professor was allowed to work on campus for months after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting young girls even though some colleagues were threatened by his presence, according to a document released Thursday.

Roberto Coronado, a professor of medical physiology, was allowed to continue to work while he was on bail facing sexual assault charges last year. Coronado pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting three girls in March but was allowed to continue working until he was sentenced to 12 years in prison in August.

The UW System Board of Regents fired Coronado last month. The board released a copy of its decision detailing the facts of the case and the rationale for firing him Thursday in response to an open records request by The Associated Press.

The decision said Coronado had initially been banned from using his laboratory and office after he was charged in June 2004 and released on bail.

But the university eventually worked out a deal with his attorney in February 2005 allowing Coronado to use an office outside the department's facilities and to use his laboratory for three hours per week.

"Professor Coronado's presence even on a limited basis disrupted the work of individuals in the Department of Physiology,'' the decision said. "Faculty and students avoided him and some felt threatened by his presence.''

His conduct was "so unacceptable and reprehensible that, as supported by the record, his community of co-workers and students had every right to object to his continued presence and employment,'' the decision said.

Casey Nagy, an aide to UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley, said Thursday the university took steps to keep Coronado away from faculty members and students who did not want to see him.

"At the same time he had rights and interests that deserved protection as well,'' Nagy said, referring to Coronado's right to due process. "We struck the most appropriate balance as possible. That's not to say that people didn't find it disruptive and upsetting - especially after he admitted the conduct.''

The work arrangement allowed Coronado to fulfill his faculty duties and collect his $137,000 salary even after he had been convicted of the crime. The university stopped paying him in September while he was in jail and his vacation expired.

Coronado was among three UW-Madison professors convicted of felonies within months of each other last year. The school is moving to fire all three but he was the first dismissed by the regents.

The cases led to a legislative audit released this week that found 40 felons were on the payroll of the UW System, which has 42,000 full and part-time workers, as of last fall.

UW System President Kevin Reilly said all 40 cases would be reviewed to determine if further action was needed. He also promised to adopt uniform rules for background checks of employees and to speed up the disciplinary process.

The regents' opinion said the board rejected Coronado's arguments that he should keep his job because the crimes were not related to his duties as a faculty member and that he should continue to be paid.

"Professor Coronado's conduct involved heinous and egregious sexual acts against children, which evidences a clear disregard for the safety and welfare of others,'' the decision said. "His conduct endangered the public and violated the integrity and trust Wisconsin citizens expect and require of the UW System and its tenured faculty.'' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------