A former University assistant professor has filed a racial discrimination civil action lawsuit with the U.S. District Court of Oregon against the University and five professors at the school.
The lawsuit charges that the supervisors of former assistant professor Paula Rogers treated her differently because of her race and renewed her contract for one year instead of three. Rogers, who is half Japanese and was born in Japan, worked at the University from 2001 to 2006 in the East Asian Languages and Literatures department.
Defendants include associate professor of Japanese Noriko Fujii, associate professor of Chinese Maram Epstein, human physiology professor Marjorie Woollacott, economics professor Joe Stone and East Asian Languages professor Wendy Larson.
Stone, the former dean at the College of Arts and Sciences, said he wasn’t aware of the lawsuit and said he couldn’t comment on the case because it involved the personnel records of a former employee.
E-mails to Fujii and Epstein, and a message left on Fujii’s listed home number, were not returned. Both are apparently on leave, but it is unknown if their absence is related to the case. Woollacott didn’t return calls seeking comment, and Larson referred the Emerald to University counsel Melinda Grier, who said she couldn’t comment. She added that the University hasn’t been served with the lawsuit and said the state Department of Justice defends the University in such cases.
According to the lawsuit, Rogers filed a discrimination grievance in 2005 with Stone, to which he responded that the grievance was “unfounded.” Fujii and Epstein voted against renewing Rogers’ employment contract for three years, while another employee with a “weaker resume” was awarded a three-year contract renewal.
In paperwork filed Feb. 12 by Rogers’ lawyer, Marianne Dugan, Rogers alleges that she was subjected to a hostile work environment, and that the defendants’ actions have caused Rogers to suffer from emotional distress, depression, stress, anxiety and humiliation. Dugan said Rogers hasn’t authorized her to talk to the media about the case. Rogers is currently out of the country and could not be reached.
The lawsuit asks for punitive damages and punishment of the defendants to stop others from discriminating based on race, but no dollar amount is listed.
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