CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to better reflect that Nastase referred to this university’s statement in response to a request for comment.
The Maryland public works board approved a $50,000 settlement Wednesday to a former University of Maryland student for a gender-based discrimination lawsuit.
The former student, identified as John Doe, accused this university of conducting a biased investigation in a 2023 alleged sexual assault case, according to court documents. A student from another university in Maryland, identified as Jane Roe, filed the 2023 sexual assault case against Doe, the documents said.
Doe allegedly sexually assaulted Roe in February 2022 at a party hosted by his fraternity, according to the lawsuit filed by Doe. The university found Doe “responsible” for the assault after an investigation and expelled him one semester before Doe’s expected graduation, the documents said.
According to court documents, Doe later appealed the decision and his sentence was reduced to a one-year suspension.
In December 2023, Doe filed a lawsuit against this university, alleging that it violated Title IX laws — which protect people from sex-based discrimination — in its investigation. The lawsuit claims the “erroneous finding” against Doe is because of gender bias from increased pressure on this university to “crackdown” on campus sexual assault cases.
This university allegedly failed to collect material evidence and follow up with witnesses, according to Doe’s lawsuit. The documents also allege that the university-conducted hearing was “biased” because it assigned credibility to Roe in the sexual assault case despite “numerous inaccuracies, material inconsistencies and contradictions” in her statements.
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In a statement to The Diamondback, this university said the parties “mutually agreed to the settlement, without any admission of liability or responsibility.”
“[This university] is resolute in that we follow our policies in all Title IX matters, in accordance with applicable law,” the statement read.
In addition, the lawsuit accused Angela Nastase — this university’s civil rights and misconduct office director and Title IX coordinator — of bias toward the plaintiff during the university investigation.
The lawsuit cites a separate case involving Nastase, where she is accused of supporting an investigation against a male defendant “based on unfounded allegations,” the documents said.
Nastase referred to this university’s statement on Doe’s lawsuit in response to a request for comment.
Doe’s lawsuit also accuses hearing officer Alyssa-Rae McGinn of discrimination because of her online activity, including from a podcast and webinar series she contributes to.
“Like the podcast, the webinar series is heavily geared towards victim’s rights advocacy and noticeably devoid of content pertaining to male respondent’s rights, particularly the presumption of innocence,” the documents said.
In a statement to The Diamondback, McGinn said that she has had a “long and positive relationship” with this university. She also said she has dedicated her career to “serving in neutral Title IX roles.”
“I have always conducted myself with the highest standards of fairness, diligence, and sensitivity to the rights and concerns of all parties involved in any Title IX matter,” McGinn wrote.
This story has been updated.
