A Baton Rouge federal jury ruled late Monday against a former LSU digital art instructor who alleged university officials verbally abused her at work and terminated her after she filed formal complaints over the harassment and allegations of course fee mismanagement.
In a lawsuit filed in January 2013, Margaret Herster alleged that Rod Parker, director of the LSU School of Art, verbally abused her on the job and belittled her, and that she was not compensated properly for her level of work compared to her male counterparts. She also alleged she was terminated from her position after filing an Equal Opportunity Employment Commission complaint against Parker and for notifying the College of Art and Design and the LSU System office about allegations of illegal course fee collections by the school.
Robert Campbell, Herster’s attorney, did not return a call for comment from Daily Report by this afternoon’s publication.
Herster filed suit against Parker, the College of Art and Design, LSU’s human resources office and the LSU Board of Supervisors, of which Business Report Publisher Rolfe McCollister is a member.
The suit was originally filed in state district court, but it was moved to the federal realm in March 2013. The case meandered through court for about three years until Monday’s jury verdict.
