A fund raiser for Binghamton University, who sued the university over allegations that two senior athletics-department officials tried to use her as a “sexual plaything,” has settled with the institution for $280,000, according to a report by the Fox television station in Binghamton. In the settlement, Elizabeth Williams agreed to resign from her position and not apply for another job at the university, which is part of the State University of New York. Binghamton said in a statement that while it was confident in its legal position, litigation would have been costly and distracting.
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5 Responses to Binghamton U. Settles With Fund Raiser Who Alleged Sexual Harassment
blue_state_academic - August 20, 2010 at 4:28 pm
“Binghamton said in a statement that while it was confident in its legal position, litigation would have been costly and distracting.”Yeah, at $400/hour, which should buy you a pretty good lawyer in Binghamton, you’d only get 700 hours for your $280K. Good decision on the univerity’s part, as I’d hate to see it spend more than that to defend its confidence in its legal position.
willynilly - August 20, 2010 at 6:56 pm
To Build on No.1 above – Said another way, a $400/hour attorney, working solely and exclusively on the harassment suit for a full eight (8) hours a day, (Most Lawyers work only six hours a day, but we will give the benefit of the doubt to this attorney) would have spent 87.5 days or 7.5 days over four (4) full months of work on the case (At 20 working days a month). Who on this planet really thinks that it would take longer to prove the University’s position of no culpability whatsoever? Nice try Binghampton, but I don’t think you will get any buyers on this position. There was an internal screw up and you have to pay the piper. Better to have stood up and admitted your culpability, paid the settlement and won some respect. This approach gets you nothing but distain.
honore - August 21, 2010 at 10:40 pm
if SUNY-Binghamton is paying her a 280K settlement why would she have to resign from her job, when payment of this settlement MORE than implies wrong-doing/culpability on the part of the school? yes she won the settlement but this settlement NO way makes up for the nightmare she lived through and certainly doesn’t compensate for a future salary of no more than maybe 5 years?This bullshit story makes no sense. Great leadership by Binghamton. Q. have the new BMWs arrived for the lawyers involved?
cwinton - August 23, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Does this get added to Lois DeFleur’s list of attainments while President of Binghampton? (see Kevin Carey’s post commenting on the list as published by the Binghamton University Magazine)
dopefein - August 23, 2010 at 1:38 pm
Lois DeFleur = FAIL!