COLUMBIA, S.C.
A historically Black college in South Carolina has been sued after three White faculty members say they were passed over for jobs or let go for because of their race, federal officials announced Wednesday.
Alleging that Benedict College “engaged in unlawful practices,” the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission also said that the Columbia school had agreed to pay $55,000 to each of the three former instructors.
Under a settlement reached between Benedict and the EEOC, the school also agreed to remind staff about its employment policy prohibiting discrimination, provide administrators, faculty and staff with training and make periodic reports to the EEOC.
In its complaint, the EEOC says art instructor Argiri Aggelopoulou in December 2004 applied for but did not receive a position as assistant art history professor, adding she was instead passed over in favor of a Black instructor.
In March 2005, Benedict did not renew teaching contracts for Aggelopoulou and two other instructors, assistant art professor Michael Hale and Katherine Mille, an associate English professor, because of their race, the complaint says.
In a response also filed Wednesday, an attorney for Benedict denied any allegations of discrimination and said the school acted in good faith and treated the employees fairly.
