Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Former lacrosse player sues Duke
From Staff Reports
The Chronicle (Duke)
01/08/2007

(U-WIRE) DURHAM, N.C. — A senior from the 2006 men's lacrosse team filed a civil suit Thursday against his former university, alleging a professor discriminated against him because he was on the team.

The lawsuit filed in Durham County Court says visiting political science professor Kim Curtis originally failed Kyle Dowd, Trinity '06, because he was a member of the team that became embroiled in a national controversy after an exotic dancer accused several men of assaulting her at an off-campus party.

According to court papers, Dowd had received C's on his work to that point of the semester — work that would have counted for 50 percent of the overall grade. After the March 13 party, Dowd received F's for his class participation and final assignment, causing Curtis to issue a failing grade for the course.

The University ultimately allowed Dowd to graduate, counting extra transfer credits from Johns Hopkins, which Dowd had attended for two years. Over the summer, Duke changed the grade from an F to a D, citing a "calculation error." Had his original two grades been averaged with the two failing grades, it would have resulted in a D.

Because of the circumstances, however, the lawsuit asks for the grade to be changed from a D to a "P" for "passing." It also asks for $60,000 in damages.

Dowd's younger brother was one of four recruits who chose to commit elsewhere while Duke's program was suspended last spring. He is now at Georgetown.

Curtis could not be reached for comment Friday. Messages left at her home and at the number provided by the Department of Political Science were not returned.

Curtis was one of 88 professors who signed the controversial ad in an edition of The Chronicle last spring entitled "What Does a Social Disaster Sound Like?"

Duke spokesman John Burness said the University's lawyers were reviewing the lawsuit and the school would not have further comment as it lets the legal process play out.

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