Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1978 [PAGE 697]

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684

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

[June 21

board, officers of the board, and officers of the University were present as recorded at the beginning of these minutes.

Litigation Initiated by S. K. Panda and Bijan Roushan

(46) O n January 18, 1978, the Board of Trustees authorized the defense of a suit filed by S. K. Panda, a former graduate student in orthodontics at the Medical Center campus, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division (Case No. 78 C 9 3 ) , and the provision of representation for certain University employees who had been named as defendants. The District Court has now entered an order allowing Bijan Roushan, another former student at the Medical Center campus (who was also dropped for reason of poor scholarship from the postgraduate program of the Department of Orthodontics), to be added as a party plaintiff. T h e order also permits the addition of two University employees (Associate Vice President for Personnel Services Dean Barringer and University Counsel James J. Costello) as defendants. I t is possible that other University employees may be added as defendants. A recently filed amended complaint repeats the allegations in the original complaint concerning the relationship between S. K. Panda and the University and adds two new counts. One contains allegations that Roushan, a graduate student in orthodontics, was unlawfully dismissed by the University "due solely to racial discrimination" and was denied a hearing in connection therewith. T h e relief sought is reinstatement of Roushan in the graduate orthodontics program and damages in the amount of $786,000, plus attorneys' fees and costs. The second new count purports to be a class action on behalf of University employees or potential employees who are black, Spanish surnamed, Muslim, American Indian, oriental, or female. I t is alleged that the employment and promotional opportunities of the class have been limited by the University and the named defendants on grounds of race, color, sex, religion, or national origin. T h e relief sought against the defendants includes a declaratory judgment of violations of federal laws; an injunction against engaging in discriminatory employment policies; back pay for members of the class; preliminary and permanent injunctions of reprisals against plaintiffs; $1,000,000 damages for mental distress; punitive damages of $1,000,000; double damages for back pay due females under the Equal Pay Act; and attorneys' fees and costs. T h e university counsel has requested that he be authorized to take such steps as are necessary or appropriate, including the employment of special counsel, to continue to protect the interests of the University in the matter and to provide representation for those University employees who are now or hereafter named as defendants, who request the same, and who represent that actions alleged to have been taken by them in the matter were taken in their capacities as University employees. I concur.

The student advisory vote was: Aye, Miss Conlon, Mr. Overstreet, Miss Winter; no, none. On motion of Mr. Livingston, authority was given as requested, by die following vote: Aye, Mr. Forsyth, Mr. Hahn, Mr. Howard, Mr. Lenz, Mr. Livingston, Mrs. Rader, Mrs. Shepherd, Mr. Velasquez; no, none; absent, Mr. Neal, Governor Thompson.

REPORT ON ADMINISTRATIVE SALARIES

Mr. Howard asked tfiat the staff and others be excused, with die exception of die secretary and die comptroller and vice president for admin-