A jury in Cook County, Ill., has awarded a former Chicago State University official $2.5-million after finding that he was fired in retaliation for reporting alleged misconduct by top university officials, the Chicago Tribune reported.
James Crowley, the university’s former senior legal counsel, sued the university in 2010, asserting that he had been fired for refusing to withhold documents about the university’s controversial president, Wayne D. Watson. He also said the university had fired him for reporting on questionable contracts.
The university argued that Mr. Crowley had been dismissed for misusing university resources, allegations that Mr. Crowley denied.
Last week a jury awarded Mr. Crowley $2-million in damages and $480,000 in back pay, and ordered that he be reinstated. A judge is expected to rule later on whether to double the amount of back pay awarded and whether to require that the university pay interest, which are possible remedies under the state’s 2003 ethics law.
The news of Mr. Crowley’s win was first revealed in a post on a blog written by Chicago State faculty members, which the university has tried unsuccessfully to shut down.
A Chicago State spokesman said in a statement to the newspaper that the university disagreed with the jury’s decision and planned to appeal.
