Details from a settlement agreement between two women and the U. of Minnesota were made public by a local newspaper. The university paid the former employees $300,000 to settle their claims of harassment by the former athletic director.AlexiusHoratius, Wikimedia via Creative Commons
The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities paid two women combined settlements of about $300,000 after they were sexually harassed by a former athletic director at the university, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
The women were members of the university president’s leadership team, according to the Star Tribune, when they were harassed by Norwood Teague, then athletic director, at a university event. One of the women also received graphic texts from Teague. Teague resigned in 2015 and apologized for the incidents.
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Details from a settlement agreement between two women and the U. of Minnesota were made public by a local newspaper. The university paid the former employees $300,000 to settle their claims of harassment by the former athletic director.AlexiusHoratius, Wikimedia via Creative Commons
The University of Minnesota-Twin Cities paid two women combined settlements of about $300,000 after they were sexually harassed by a former athletic director at the university, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
The women were members of the university president’s leadership team, according to the Star Tribune, when they were harassed by Norwood Teague, then athletic director, at a university event. One of the women also received graphic texts from Teague. Teague resigned in 2015 and apologized for the incidents.
The text of the settlement agreement, obtained by the Star Tribune, states that the women agreed to waive legal claims they may have had against the university for the payouts and such other benefits as reimbursed health-care costs and lawyer’s fees. The women were not named in the settlement, but the newspaper noted that the circumstances of their cases matched those of Ann Aronson, a former deputy chief of staff for Eric Kaler, the university’s president, and Erin Dady, a former special assistant to Kaler.
The university agreed to turn one of the women’s annually renewable job appointments into a three-year position that is eligible for raises and benefit changes like other employees, according to the settlement. And if she is fired for a reason other than cause, she will receive a full payment from the university. This woman also received a one-time $50,000 settlement payment, $25,000 for her lawyer for fees, and reimbursement of any out-of-pocket health-care costs related to the 2015 incident.
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The other woman resigned from her position in August 2016, according to the settlement. She received a $181,630 severance package that was the equivalent of her annual salary, and was reimbursed for any out-of-pocket health-care costs from the 2015 incident. After her resignation, she received benefits like vacation payouts and continued health-care benefits. The university also paid $25,000 to the woman’s lawyer for legal fees.
The Star Tribune was unable to reach Aronson or Dady for comment. In a statement to the newspaper, a university spokesman wrote that the payouts had worked to “acknowledge the wrongs and attempt to heal wounds.”
Correction (4/30/2018, 4:55 p.m.): This article originally stated incorrectly that Norwood Teague had “allegedly” sexually harassed two women at the university. He has acknowledged and admitted those actions. The text has been updated accordingly.
Fernanda is the engagement editor at The Chronicle. She is the voice behind Chronicle newsletters like the Weekly Briefing, Five Weeks to a Better Semester, and more. She also writes about what Chronicle readers are thinking. Send her an email at fernanda@chronicle.com.
