ORLANDO, Fla. -- A University of Central Florida professor has been arrested Thursday after being accused of stalking a student at UCF.

  • UCF professtor accused of stalking student
  • Student said stalking went on for more than a year
  • Borji allegedly suspect in similar incident at USF

Ali Borji, 39, is charged with stalking after a student told authorities the UCF professor continuously contacted her for more than a year after she allegedly asked him to stop.

She reported the case to UCF Police Monday.

According to a police report, Borji and the student met in June 2017 while enrolled in a program.

Borji then allegedly reached out to her on Facebook and began messaging her, offering to help her with her program.

After a few brief meetings, UCF police say the professor asked the student on a date, which she agreed to. But later, the student decided that she wanted to keep their relationship professional, which is when Borji allegedly began stalking the victim.

Authorities say Borji continued to reach out to the woman through email, phone calls, text messages and social media – even though she reportedly told him to stop. According to the woman, he also began contacting immediate family.

She told police she eventually left UCF in Fall 2017 due to stress from the stalking. When she returned in Spring 2018, she said Borji began stalking her again.

The student also said Borji would later go on to watch her from the gym windows for 45 minutes, as well as send her more than 800 text messages, some of which she called “extremely disturbing” and would give her nightmares.

Soon after, Borji allegedly also followed the student in his vehicle while she left the gym with a friend, which police found to be probable cause to arrest him.

Investigators found Borji was a suspect in a similar incident at the University of South Florida; no arrest was made at the time.

According to UCF, Borji has worked at the university since Jan. 2016 and previously submitted his resignation effective Sunday, July 1.

They say he's been banned from campus.

Mark Schlueb, UCF spokesperson, provided the following statement:

“Our detectives acted swiftly in this case, as the UCF Police Department does when anyone feels threatened. We have zero tolerance for this type of behavior. If any students, faculty or staff have been victims of sexual misconduct, please contact UCF Police or find information and support at www.LetsBeClear.ucf.edu,” UCF Police Chief Carl Metzger said.