ASU placed the assistant director of its Sun Card Office on administrative leave Tuesday after Texas police arrested him Sunday on charges of allegedly using a concealed video camera to record patrons of a clothing-optional sunbathing park near Austin.
According to Travis County Park Ranger Kurt Neilson, Gilbert resident Dale Witenhafer, 38, was arrested after a patron of Hippie Hollow Park notified rangers that a man was videotaping sunbathers.
Witenhafer was charged with improper visual recording to arouse or gratify, after he was allegedly found using a video camera hidden in a collapsible ice chest with holes for taping, Neilson said.
Attempts to reach Witenhafer on Tuesday were unsuccessful.
ASU spokesman Keith Jennings said Witenhafer was suspended with pay on Tuesday as part of the University's staff personnel policy.
"He is currently under investigation with ASU DPS and authorities in Texas," Jennings said. "If it is determined that he acted illegally, he is entitled to a personnel hearing before more action can be taken."
Witenhafer was released after he posted a $7,500 bond, according to the Associated Press.
Witenhafer, who managed the Sun Card Program since its inception in 1997, was recently appointed to the National Association of Campus Card Users' board of directors.
His appointment this year came in part because he started the Sun Card program in 1997, according to the association.
The association credited Witenhafer for moving the previously existing meal plans to one card and maintaining the program that currently has more than 300 card users and processes about $9 million worth of financial transactions annually.
Witenhafer was an adviser for The Rock, a Christian non-denominational church group on campus.
The group's president, Anthony Boyd, a psychology junior, said that he had nothing but positive things to say about Witenhafer.
"He has always struck me as a hard worker and a good husband and father," Boyd said. "He always seemed like a kind, generous person."
Reach the reporter at mark.saxon@asu.edu.
