Former track coach sues university for bias.Byline: Bill Bishop The Register-Guard A highly successful former University of Oregon The University of Oregon is a public university located in Eugene, Oregon. The university was founded in 1876, graduating its first class two years later. The University of Oregon is one of 60 members of the Association of American Universities. assistant women's track coach on Tuesday made good on her threat to sue the university, alleging gender discrimination over her termination as a coach last year. Sally Harmon, who coached javelin, discus, shot put and hammer for 18 years, seeks at least $1.1 million from the state, the board of higher education higher education Study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. , the university, Athletic Director Athletic director (commonly, "athletics director") is a position at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, which oversees the work of the coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic Bill Moos and head track and field Coach Martin Smith. The lawsuit, filed in Lane County Circuit Court by the Eugene law  This article or section is written like an .Please help [ rewrite this article] from a neutral point of view. Mark blatant advertising for , using . firm of Walters, Chanti and Zennache, is the culmination of more than 18 months of wrangling over the decision and process that merged the men's and women's track programs. The new organization left Harmon and 26-year assistant coach Mark Stream without positions. Lance Deal Lance Earl Deal (born August 21, 1961 in Riverton, Wyoming) is a former American athlete who won a silver medal in the hammer throw in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. He also competed in the 1988, 1992, and 2000 Summer Olympics. , a four-time Olympian and silver medalist, was hired to replace Harmon, although he has no prior paid experience as a Division I coach, the lawsuit states. UO officials were unable to respond to a reporter's questions about the lawsuit on Tuesday, UO spokeswoman Pauline Austin said. In an earlier interview with The Register-Guard, Moos said the program reorganization reflects a national trend toward consolidating men's and women's track programs. He said a new head coach must be allowed to hire assistants to his liking. He also said both Harmon and Stream had served the UO program well over the years. But in her lawsuit, Harmon claims gender discrimination in the coaching staff predates the track program merger. For example, the lawsuit recounts how Harmon refused to sign her contract in 2000 after learning that a newly hired men's assistant coach was being paid $50,000 - compared to her assistant coaching salary of $35,724. The suit states Harmon was given a raise to the range of the new coach's pay, but with nothing more to reward her years of experience or her success. Harmon, 43, was the first individual national champion in Oregon women's track and field history when she won the javelin in 1981. She went to work as an instructor and assistant coach for UO women's track and field in 1985, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the lawsuit. Since then, her athletes have won three NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association championships and seven conference titles. She coached two school record-holders in hammer and javelin, and others. Over the years, 17 of her athletes secured all-America honors. In her last five years, Harmon's throws program consistently ranked in the top 10 nationwide, according to the suit. The lawsuit claims Harmon's career has been irreparably ir·rep·a·ra·ble adj. Impossible to repair, rectify, or amend: irreparable harm; irreparable damages. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin damaged by the dismissal and that she has suffered emotionally and physically. The suit claims the UO's conduct was intentional and a jury should award punitive damages Monetary compensation awarded to an injured party that goes beyond that which is necessary to compensate the individual for losses and that is intended to punish the wrongdoer. above the $1 million sought for pain and suffering and the $122,000 in earnings and benefits Harmon has lost thus far. The suit asks that she be hired as a coach or be paid an unspecified sum. No court dates have been set. |
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