Former UW-Platteville official wins discrimination suit
A former UW-Platteville employee won a lawsuit brought against the UW System Board of Regents and UW-Platteville chancellor, Madison.com reported.
The jury in U.S. District Circuit Court in Madison agreed with Sharon Walker, a former assistant chancellor for student affairs, Monday that UW-Platteville did not renew her contract because of sexual discrimination. She was awarded $400,000.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice represented UW System officials.
The jury did not, however, agree with Walker that the university did not renew her employment because she was black, the website reported.
UW-Platteville Chancellor David Markee could not be reached at press time because he was attending a basketball game.
Because Walker’s contract was not renewed in 1999, the case and controversy surrounding her employment are not commonly known among current UW-Platteville students.
Kenneth McHone, a UW-Platteville junior, said he is familiar with Walker’s situation but has not kept up on the issue because it occurred before his career as a college student.
In 2002, a similar lawsuit was filed against UW-Madison when an English professor claimed she was paid less than her male counterparts. Kelly Cherry, who taught at UW from 1977 to 1999, reached a $127,500 out-of-court settlement.
— Matthew Dolbey contributed to this report