A recent graduate filed a lawsuit against the University Tuesday citing emotional distress stemming from allegations of academic dishonesty and a subsequent hearing before the Undergraduate Judicial Board.
Tiffany Locus, Trinity '07, is suing Charles Thompson, education and curriculum director for the Center for Documentary Studies and the instructor for the class in which Locus was accused of cheating.
Duke University, President Richard Brodhead, Provost Peter Lange, Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta and Director of Judicial Affairs Stephen Bryan were also named in the suit.
In the filings, Locus alleges that the basis behind the charge of dishonesty was unfounded and that discrepancies in a final paper for the class were due to inaccurate information from a woman she interviewed for the project.
Both Bryan and John Burness, senior vice president for public affairs and government relations, declined to comment about the case.
The suit alleges that the accusations against Locus caused her to develop uncontrollable crying, severe depression and anxiety attacks. In addition, she was unable to walk in her graduation ceremony and received a failing grade in the class, "Who Cares and Why: Social Activism and its Motivations."
The lawsuit requests punitive damages of more than $10,000 and for Locus' grade in the class to be changed to passing.
Moneta, Locus and her lawyer, James Locus, did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.
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