(West Lafayette, IN) - A Purdue University professor specializing in positive motivation was not exactly practicing what he preaches recently.

John Froiland, Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology, was arrested last week after allegedly locking his 10-year-old son in a cage while beating his wife with a chair leg.

The battered wife eventually contacted West Lafayette police, who charged the 48-year-old Froiland with a bevy of offenses, including Domestic Battery, Criminal Confinement, and Neglect of a Dependent.

Purdue placed Froiland on administrative leave. His faculty web page lists Froiland as an authority on Parenting, Intrinsic Motivation, Happiness, and Positive Psychology Interventions.