Lawsuit: Harmon draws parallels between coaching track and real estate
Continued from page 1
third of the amount asked for in
the lawsuit, gender discrimination
cases are expensive cases to bring
to trial.
“It’s part of the settlement that
both parties would like to move
forward. We’d both rather not drag
it through the coals,” Harmon said.
“I think the settlement speaks for
itself, and I wish University of
Oregon track and field well,”
said Harmon.
Harmon said she’s glad to put the
lawsuit behind her because the real
ities of the process don’t “represent
the growth that’s taken place.”
Harmon, who had been a
successful track and field athlete
when she attended the University,
joined the track and field coaching
staff in 1985.
She served as an assistant
women’s throws events coach for
18 years before being dismissed.
Harmon’s circumstances have
changed significantly since being
dismissed from the University’s
track and field coaching staff.
Back in her home town with a
new career, Harmon has gotten out
of athletics and into real estate.
In October, 2004, shortly
before filing the suit, Harmon
told the Emerald she was
struggling financially.
“You’re practically going from
caviar to rice,” Harmon told
the Emerald. “I’m just short of pick
ing my children up and moving
across the country for a hope and a
prayer to not have to deal with what
I have here.”
It turns out, she would have to
move only about 40 miles to find
the opportunity she was looking for.
In September, 2004, Harmon’s
mother broke her arm.
Harmon went to Oakridge to help
her mother run her Oakridge-based
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real estate brokerage while
she recovered.
“I had nothing better to do since
I was unemployed,” Harmon said.
Harmon took a liking to the new
business and decided to go pro. She
got her real estate license in Febru
ary, and sold her Eugene home in
March. It sold in one day.
“With mom’s help, of course,”
Harmon said.
She bought an 18-acre retreat
ranch near Oakridge, where many
of her relatives live, and went to
work in her mother’s brokerage —
Oakridge Real Estate.
"It’s really wonderful,” Harmon said.
Between maintaining her proper
ty and working at Oakridge Real Es
tate, Harmon is staying busy.
“I’m working on a chicken coop
right now for 15 little chickies,”
Harmon said. Clearing blackberries
and bramble also takes up a
significant portion of her time in ,
the mornings.
In the afternoons, she goes into
the office to serve the walk-in clien
tele at the real estate brokerage.
“Mom and I hammer it out,"
she said.
Most of her clients are retirees or
pre-retirees from California who are
looking to relocate, Harmon said.
“They want a little hunk of land
and they want a quiet life,” Harmoo
said, referring to her clients.
“They’re not dependent on the
economy in our town.”
She also has clients from Eugene,
Portland and Bend — first-time
homebuyers who are willing
to commute in order to take advan
tage of the low housing prices
in Oakridge.
Harmon says there are a lot of
similarities between coaching track
and field and selling real estate.
“There’s a lot of salemanship
, that’s involved in both,” Harmon
said. “If you’re listing a piece of
property, you’re going to put forth
the best aspects possible,” which is
very similar to the collegiate recruit
ing process, according to Harmon.
“There’s a lot of showing off the
wares, so to speak,” Harmon said.
Also, both jobs demand irregular
hours and involve creative problem
solving, Harmon said.
Harmon is also working on set
ting up her retreat ranch to host
large events and gatherings.
“We’re working right now with
a Montessori school that’s going
to be using our facilities for
outreach events with their kids,”
Harmon said.
Harmon’s “Tired Dog Ranch”
has also hosted a bike race and
other events.
“They’d camp out and just have a
great time,” Harmon said.
gabebradley@ dailyemerald, com
Grievance: Thomson hopes others come forward
Continued from page 1
another job.”
Weston is an emeritus professor.
Thomson consulted with O’Brien
during the grievance process.
“I got a lot of support, thank God,
because it pretty much disturbed
me,” Thomson said.
“What we’re mainly concerned
with here at the Women’s Center is
providing support for women who
are dealing with these issues,”
O’Brien said. “We act as advocates
for students.”
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O’Brien says the Office of Student
Life and the Bias Response
Team can also be helpful resources
for students who have been
sexually harassed.
“The first thing to do is
recognize that it’s not your fault.”
O’Brien also suggests that victims
of harassment keep a written record
of incidents and interactions with
their harassers.
“The grievance process is not the
easiest process to go through,”
O’Brien said. “They’re not believed
at first. They have to prove that this
has happened.”
“We have professors who are
actually ill-equipped to deal with
the female gender,” she said.
O’Brien said sexual harassment at
the University takes place not only
between professors and students
but between bosses, subordinates
and coworkers.
“Anywhere where there’s a signif
icant power dynamic,” she said.
“The University is not only a place
where students go to school, but
a place where thousands of
employees work.”
O’Brien said many students
who’ve been harassed
O Bnen said the bene
fit of the doubt is usually
given to the alleged
harasser rather than
the complainant.
“It’s really unfortu
nate that we live in a so
READ MORE ONLINE
For more information about
protection against sexual
harassment at the University of
Oregon, visit
aaeo.uoregon.edu/harass.html
are afraid to report it.
“It doesn’t always
feel safe for the com
plainant,” she said.
Thomson said she
hopes other students
who’ve been harassed
ciety that treats sexual violence
against women — sexual harass
ment — in this manner.”
O’Brien said she would like to see
more training for professors con
cerning sexual harassment.
will see her example and feel safe
coming forward with allegations.
“I feel empowered,” Thomson said.
Weston declined to comment.
gabebradley@ daily emerald, com
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