Two women are suing Central State University for damages in the Ohio Court of Claims, alleging they were victims of “a pattern of discrimination” by college President Jack Thomas.
David Duwel, a Dayton-based attorney for the women, said in a news release Friday that the lawsuits are the first of what will be a total of five lawsuits that will be filed against Central State by the end of June.
Lena Fields-Arnold, communications coordinator with Central State, and Ieesha Ramsey, former executive director of Central State’s undergraduate student success center, allege that they were “demoted, demeaned and denigrated” as a result of Thomas’ actions.
In Fields-Arnold’s case, the lawsuit alleges that the posted starting salary for her position was $100,000, but that Thomas started her at $90,000. He also allegedly asked about her husband’s salary, the lawsuit says.
The suit also alleges the stress from Fields-Arnold’s job and being the target of constant critique and criticism led her to seek medical attention and request time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act. After filing the FMLA paperwork, Fields-Arnold’s lawsuit alleges that she was told without reason that she was being demoted and taking a $30,000 pay cut.
Ramsey’s lawsuit alleges she was called to a meeting with her boss, F. Erik Brooks, vice president of academic affairs, and a human resources officer, during which she was informed of issues with her job performance.
The meeting was the first time she had heard anything about this, Ramsey alleges, and she was told that because she was an at-will employee she would be demoted to a new position and salary of $62,500 — an 18% pay cut from her leadership role.
The lawsuit alleges that Brooks was “intimidated by (Ramsey’s) knowledge and skill set, and the fact she was a female.”
Fields-Arnold and Ramsey both allege in their lawsuits that they were subjected to hostile treatment because they are “assertive” Black women, something that was not viewed favorably by Thomas and other people in leadership at Central State.
Both women are seeking reinstatement to their executive director positions with back pay and benefits in excess of $100,000; compensatory damages in excess of $100,000; statutory damages, attorneys fees and other costs.
Central State officials did not immediately reply to a request for comment Friday night from The Dispatch.
Fields-Arnold and Ramsey are two of five women who submitted a complaint to the board of trustees against Thomas in August, which led to a seven-month-long investigation by Cincinnati-based law firm Taft, Stettinius and Hollister, who were hired by the state Attorney General’s office.
The other three women who signed the complaint are Isabelle Cayo-Sanders, former director of admissions and enrollment management; former registrar Felicia Harris-Nagel; and Wendy Hayes, the previous vice president of student affairs, who now serves as a liaison for honors and international student affairs.
The law firm released a report in February criticizing Thomas as “rude, belittling and bullying,” but investigators did not think his actions rose to the level of discrimination, harassment or creating a hostile work environment.
“Rude, belittling and bullying are not words typically associated with leadership,” Duwel said in her release. “At best, these words point out serious character flaws in someone who does not care about how he interacts with others. On a more extreme end, they point to someone who can potentially cause irreparable harm to others, as he has done to my clients.”
Duwel said his clients are scared to speak out, but want justice to be served.
Source: The Columbus Dispatch
