番茄社区

A Louisiana law firm has detailed complaints of discrimination, retaliation, and sexual harassment against Louisiana State University's medical school in Shreveport.

Last week, four female LSU Health Sciences Center employees joined their attorney, Allison Jones, JD, at a press conference in downtown Shreveport, saying they had filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the school's chancellor, Ghali E. Ghali, MD, .

Several other women also came forward, even though the statute of limitations precluded them from filing their own complaints with the EEOC, .

Jones is representing Jennifer Woerner, DMD, MD, associate dean of academic affairs; Sharon Dunn, PhD, dean of the School of Allied Health; Christina Notarianni, MD, director of pediatric neurosurgery; and Christi Rinaudo, EdD, of the department of academic affairs. Jones said the complaints against Ghali stem from ongoing gender-based discrimination and retaliation.

Last month, "after deep thought and much personal consternation," Jones' clients filed claims with LSU's main Title IX office, charging that Ghali fostered "pervasive gender-based discrimination, sexually inappropriate behavior, and permissiveness of sexually inappropriate behavior by male colleagues," according to a statement from Jones.

LSU's Title IX office dismissed the women's claims, Jones said.

On April 10, the LSU Board of Supervisors met to discuss the allegations, but no decision was made, according to the statement.

The result was that her clients "were left unprotected and were certain that Chancellor Ghali would immediately resume his retaliation against them," she said. The women "were obligated to file charges of retaliation and gender discrimination with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and essentially go public with their claims," she said.

Claims levied in the EEOC complaints are similar to those reported by a handful of other women.

"Most of the complaints allege that Ghali retaliated against physicians, professors, and staffers who exposed the harassment of students by Dr. F. Scott Kennedy, who had been the dean of admissions for years," The Advocate reported. "Kennedy abruptly retired last month after Ghali addressed the complaints with him."

Though Ghali was suspended as chancellor in the wake of allegations against him, his future with the school remains unclear, according to local reports.

"From my patients to my colleagues, I always treat everyone with respect, and I unequivocally deny these allegations," Ghali said in a statement provided to 番茄社区 in an email. "As a devoted husband and father of three young daughters, I never have, nor would I ever tolerate the behavior described."

"I am proud of our tremendously qualified team that reflects the diversity of the students we serve," Ghali added. "We have consistently elevated female voices to positions of power across our campus, and I continue to believe our model should serve as an example for the rest of the LSU system."

In an email to 番茄社区, spokesperson Lisa Babin said LSU Health Shreveport "does not comment on personnel matters. The institution has been and continues to be committed to a safe learning and work environment."

Jones, in a statement provided to 番茄社区, said: "My clients remain steadfast with their claims of discrimination, harassment, and cultivation of a toxic work environment led by Dr. Ghali."

"As of today," Jones added, "LSU has yet to provide any response or action to Dr. Ghali's egregious leadership. Nor have they reached out to discuss these matters with my clients."

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