A hearing officer by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) appointed in the case of LuLu Sun v. University of Massachusetts–Dartmouth has ordered the University to promote Professor Sun to the post of full professor and to pay her nearly $155,000 in lost pay and $200,000 in damages. The officer found that administators ignored Dr. Sun’s evaluations and “mischaracterized” her dossier as an ’embarrasment'” while giving male candidates the “benefit of the doubt.” The hearing officer also fined the University $10,000. According to media reports, several University officers, including the Chancellor, must also take training in anti-discrimination law. What’s unusual here is the ruling of the officer that Dr. Sun be promoted. Dr. Sun had sued under Title VII on the basis of sex and race discrimination. Unclear if the University plans to appeal this decision. More here from Boston.com, here from the Boston Herald. The text of the ruling does not seem to be online at the MCAD website yet.
Via the Chronicle of Higher Education.
