An appeal of a sexual discrimination case the University won in 1989 was postponed yesterday after the plaintiff changed her attorney. The appeal, filed by former Van Pelt College House administrative fellow Ann Chandler McHugh, was scheduled to go before a federal court judge tomorrow. But McHugh and her attorney applied for a postponement because she is in the process of changing lawyers. In the suit, McHugh claims that she was constantly harassed by a student and Van Pelt officials did not attempt to stop the abuse despite her protests. Just days after taking her complaints to the University Ombudsman, she was fired, she contends. The complaint states that McHugh was fired solely because of her complaint. The University said in its formal reply that she was fired because she was unable to "perform effectively" in her position. The University also maintains that she filed her complaint to the Ombudsman after she was fired. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission decided in 1989 that McHugh's dismissal was not based on sexual discrimination. McHugh decided to appeal this decision through the courts. The EEOC reviews all unfair firing claims and decides whether they should continue through the court system. The commission only rarely prevents a claim from go to court. McHugh is suing the University for reinstatement to her position as an administrative fellow and for reimbursement for her salary from 1987 to the present, plus interest. It is unclear why McHugh is making the change of attorneys, but the judge granted her new lawyer time to review the case. U.S. District Court officials said yesterday that they did not know when a new trial date will be set. McHugh's original attorney, Alan Epstein, declined to comment yesterday on why McHugh was seeking new counsel. University Associate General Counsel Neil Hamburg said last week McHugh's case was "frivolous." He said McHugh has several flaws in her argument and the University has filed a countersuit.
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