The University of Minnesota reached a $200,000 settlement this year with an African-American instructor who alleged she was denied a tenured position because the education college had just promoted another woman of color.
A tenured professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Yolanda Majors joined the U’s College of Education and Human Development in 2011.
Majors said Dean Jean Quam wanted to hire her as a tenured professor but decided to wait a year on the tenure decision because another woman of color, Nina Asher, had just been made chair of curriculum and instruction.
“Dean Quam stated that she feared push back from the faculty for her decision to hire Dr. Asher and that because of this she was reluctant to present (Majors) to the faculty due to the fact that Dr. Majors was also a woman of color,” Majors told the court.
Majors accepted a temporary appointment as a non-tenured visiting professor. But a year later, she was told she’d need to publish more to be considered for a tenured position.
Majors said in an interview Thursday that she published a book and wrote three articles. But Quam told her in June 2013 that she no longer was being considered for a tenured position.
“I’m still waiting for them to tell me what it looks like to be as good as a white man,” Majors said.
Majors held administrative positions the following three years. She no longer works for the U.
Majors sued the U in Hennepin County District Court in 2016. The case was thrown out but later revived by the Court of Appeals.
She signed a settlement agreement in March, she said, because the case had taken a toll on her family. The U disclosed that deal this week in response to a Pioneer Press records request.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Majors received $111,637 and her attorney $88,363.
The U did not admit any wrongdoing.