Berkeley, CAThe esteemed Berkeley School of Law is writhing in the shadow of yet another cloud of controversy following the resignation of the dean of law at the University of California school, amidst allegations of sexual harassment. To that end, the dean’s former executive assistant has launched a California sexual harassment lawsuit against both the former dean of law, and the University of California Board of Regents for, in the plaintiff’s view, failing to undertake sufficient measures to prevent such harassment from taking place.
According to a report from the Associated Press (AP 3/10/16), Tyann Sorrell accuses Sujit Choudhry of unwanted kissing and touching that began soon after Choudhry joined Berkeley as the dean of law. Sorrell served as his executive assistant. Her lawsuit accuses Choudhry of near-daily unwanted contact and what the plaintiff interprets as sexual advances. The contact, according to the AP report, included but was not limited to bear hugs, arm and shoulder rubs, kisses on the face, and her boss once placing her hands on his waist.
The defendant, according to the California harassment report, told investigators that his behavior was intended only as gestures of appreciation or emotional support, and not sexual harassment. Choudhry also disputed the frequency at which the plaintiff asserts the unwanted touching took place.
That said, the defendant did not deny his conduct.
When the plaintiff reported the dean’s behavior to Berkeley administration, an investigation revealed that Choudhry had “demonstrated a failure to understand the power dynamic and the effect of his actions on the plaintiff personally and in her employment.”
Berkeley’s response was to dock Choudhry’s pay by 10 percent for a period of one year, required him to undergo counseling, required that he apologize, and allowed Sorrell to take leave from her position with full pay. Berkeley provost Claude Steele noted in the AP report that in the university’s view the consequences doled out following the California employment harassment investigation constituted “an appropriate and effective response, and would produce the necessary changes in [Choudhry’s] behavior.”
That wasn’t good enough for Sorrell, who earlier this month launched a California employment harassment lawsuit against Choudhry and the university. Her legal team notes that in the plaintiff’s view, the university failed to approach the matter with sufficient seriousness for a respected law school dealing with accusations of sexual harassment.
Sorrell filed her California harassment lawsuit on March 8. The following day, Choudhry approached his employer with an offer to step down from the dean’s post in an effort to minimize any distractions the lawsuit might foster for the law school.
It was reported that Berkeley agreed to those terms, placing Choudhry on an indefinite leave of absence while the employment harassment lawsuit is active. His salary will drop from $415,000 - which he earned in his role as dean - to a professor’s salary of $284,200. It is assumed he will continue to earn the salary while on leave. It is not known if Choudhry would return to the dean’s position pending the outcome of the California Harassment lawsuit. It was reported that an interim dean would serve in his place.
Further details of the harassment lawsuit were not available. Berkeley School of Law has faced allegations of harassment involving its faculty in the past.