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Two Tennessee Tech administrators have filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed in May by a former university employee.
The motion was filed Tuesday on behalf of Associate Vice President of Human Resources, Dr. Leslie Crickenberger, and Vice President of Enrollment Dr. Brandon Johnson.
According to the motion, the defendants state the Courts “lack subject matter jurisdiction” over claims barred by Eleventh Amendment immunity. Defendants state other claims are either time-barred or fail as a matter of law as well.
Former Financial Aid Director Lindsey McKenzie filed the lawsuit nearly a year after being terminated by Tennessee Tech. The original lawsuit states McKenzie was fired after notifying administrators of financial aid being improperly distributed to unqualified students.
According to the lawsuit, McKenzie had also filed a Title IX complaint and later a retaliatory complaint against the university after reporting a candidate was turned down because they were “a single-mother.”
An initial case management order was also filed Tuesday with a case management conference set for Aug. 28. From there, both parties will have until January 2020 to reach an agreement before a trial is scheduled for October 2020.
