Floyd
There was no winner or loser in a male professor's discrimination suit against Lamar University following a two-day trial.
In February 2008, Michael Jordan, a Lamar University professor, brought a discrimination suit against the college, alleging he was denied tenure because of his gender.
The case went to trial on April 16 and ended two days later with a directed verdict.
A court official told the Southeast Texas Record that Judge Donald Floyd, 172nd District Court, issued a directed verdict that is not in favor of either party.
No judgment is on file as of April 23. However, the official said Lamar will submit a judgment for the judge to sign off on.
Court papers show that Jordan applied for tenure on Nov. 14, 2005, and was rejected the following month. He then filed his charge of discrimination on Dec. 7, 2006 - seven months past the 180-day deadline.
Jordan claims he was an assistant professor in the criminal justice department and was granted two years' credit toward tenure when he accepted the position at Lamar.
In 2005, Jordan's tenure application was denied, despite the fact that his teaching evaluation scores were higher than other faculty members in the criminal justice department, he claims in his suit.
He alleges the year before his application was denied, the university granted tenure to a female professor in his department, and that he has been routinely treated disparately from his female counterparts.
Beaumont attorney David Tolin represents Jordan.
Lamar is represented in part by Austin attorney Gunnar Seaquist.
Trial case No. E181-188