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Vaughn Joins Lawsuit Against FGCU

By Erin Buzuvis, Sudha Setty, and Kristine Newhall

It is only our good taste that keeps us from keeping a little thermometer icon in the corner and raising the mercury every time someone files a gender discrimination lawsuit or complaint against Florida Gulf Coast University.

The Trial Lawyers for Public Justice announced yesterday that former women's golf coach Holly Vaughn has joined Jaye Flood's pending lawsuit against FGCU. Like Flood, Vaughn alleges that she was retaliated against for pointing out athletic department's favoritism of men's sports and male coaches. Vaughn complained about such disparities in such things as office space, the autonomy to select assistant coaches, and the option to accept more duties in exchange for full time status. According to the complaint, Athletic Director Carl McAloose told her, "If you don?t like it here, you can get the hell out." Then, after Vaughn assisted former Interim Athletic Director Merrily Dean Baker gather and present evidence of systemic discrimination within the department, she received a negative performance evaluation, whose baselessness was corroborated by an external investigation. The conditions of her employment forced Vaughn to resign last fall.

Between this lawsuit, that of former general counsel Wendy Morris, and a grievance by former assistant softball coach Gina Ramacci, the tally in our imaginary thermometer is at five. Do I hear six?

Full post as published by Title IX Blog on May 13, 2008 (boomark / email).