Former UO coach
files suit for sexual
discrimination
Sally Harmon, an 18-year member of the track and field
staff, seeks $1.1 million after her2003 termination
BY KARA HANSEN
NEWS REPORTER
Former University women’s track
and field coach Sally Harmon fol
lowed through with her October
threat to file a lawsuit against the
University, alleging the athletic de
partment sexually discriminated
against her when she was terminated
last year.
In the lawsuit filed Dec.
20 in Lane County Circuit
Court, Harmon seeks
more than $1.1 million
from the University, Ath
letic Director Bill Moos,
track and field head coach
Martin Smith and the state
board of higher education.
Harmon, a University
graduate and a women’s
throws events assistant
for 18 years, was fired in
spring 2003 after the
athletic department con
sonaatea me men s ana women s
track programs.
Olympic hammer thrower Lance
Deal, a volunteer men’s throws coach
since 2002, was hired to coach the
combined program despite having
“no paid Division I coaching experi
ence” and limited volunteer coaching
experience, the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit claims Harmon has lost
wages and benefits amounting to
$122,160. Harmon also seeks compen
sation for other damages, such as emo
tional distress,
sleeplessness,
depression, anxi
ety and shame
and humiliation,
and punitive
damages from
Moos and Smith
in an amount to
be determined
at trial.
University of
hcials were not available for com
ment as of Thursday, but University
General Counsel Melinda Grier said in
a previous interview that the athletic
department’s hiring decision was
probably acceptable.
“The reason you choose one
person over another is you select
the one you believe is most quali
fied based on what your criteria
are,” said Grier, who was respond
ing to Harmon’s decision in October
to file a lawsuit. “That’s what hap
pened here.”
Harmon’s attorney, Suzanne Chan
ti, was not available for comment.
The lawsuit alleges the
University, Moos and Smith
“engaged in a pattern and
practice of discriminating
against women student
athletes and employees
within the athletic depart
ment, including discrimi
nating in pay and benefits,”
and asserts the gender in
equity is long-standing.
In July 2000, Harmon
refused to sign her annual
contract after learning a
npw m*=>n’c accict^nt rrtarh
was being paid $50,000 while she
earned $35,724, according to the
lawsuit. She later received a raise
to help rectify the problem, but in
an October interview Harmon said
she still earned less than the new
male coach.
In addition to the upwards of $1 mil
lion sought for emotional distress and
the $122,000 lost in earnings in bene
fits, the suit requests that Harmon
be hired into the combined track pro
gram or be paid an amount to
be determined
at trial.
But the law
suit is about
values, not
money, Harmon
said in October.
“ (The lawsuit
is) not going to
rectify the dam
age done to
me,” she said. “But walking away
from this and not making a statement
of what’s been done, and that it’s
wrong, would be a slap in the face.”
karahansen @ dailyemerald. com
SALLY HARMON
FORMER TRACK AND
FIELD COACH
“The reason yon choose one
person over another is you
select the one you believe is
most qualified based on
what your criteria are.
That’s what happened here. ”
Melinda Grier | General Counsel
Photos: Parents were unable
to acquire prints of children
Continued from page 6
Parents of the children pho
tographed alerted the University after
they unsuccessfully attempted to con
tact Jackson to obtain the photos.
Leavitt said proofs of the photos were
sent to about 100 families, but nobody
was able to get in contact with Jackson
to order reprints.
The University and the Eugene Po
lice Department have not been able to
locate any of the photos taken by Jack
son and are still searching for them,
Leavitt said.
“One of the outstanding concerns
for us is, ‘Where are the photo
graphs?’” Leavitt said.
As many as 200 children may have
been photographed, from infants to
11-year-olds, Leavitt said.
In an e-mail sent to parents by EMU
Child Care Center Coordinator Dennis
Reynolds, who approved the photogra
phy arrangements with Jackson, par
ents were asked to look for common
warning signs of child sexual abuse.
Parents should look for children acting
out in sexually suggestive behavior,
displaying anxiety about separation
and showing sudden nervousness
around strangers.
“The University is committed to the
highest standards of security and ac
countability and is taking every pre
caution to ensure that photographers
and photographic sessions and other
activities will be conducted according
to these standards,” Reynolds wrote.
meghanncaniff@dailyememld.com
jaredpaben@ daily emerald, com
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