Dive Summary:
- Former Louisiana State University faculty member Margaret Herster filed a lawsuit against the School of Art claiming its director, Rod Parker, fired her for blowing the whistle on the unlawful collection and use of student course fees, and that he also denied her equal pay and advancement opportunities because she's a woman.
- In a February 2012 letter to LSU officials, Herster said "an average of $28,000 annually" in fees was being charged to School of Art students without being authorized by the LSU Board of Supervisors or state Legislature.
- An internal audit completed and released Jan. 10 revealed that over $20,000 in purchases were made with student fee revenue that violated LSU policies, and that a total of around $130,000 in misused funds--including another $32,000 requested from LSU for "student course materials"--was used to purchase iPads, Mac Minis and other equipment for faculty members.
From the article:
A former Louisiana State University faculty member has filed suit against the School of Art, saying the school's director fired her after she blew the whistle on the unlawful collection and use of student course fees. Margaret Herster, in the suit filed Tuesday, also said school director Rod Parker denied her equal pay and advancement because she is a woman. ...