A report of sexual harassment of a reporter by former Minnesota AD Norwood Teague has "prompted the university to reach out to other potential victims," according to a front-page piece by Shipley & Fuller of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. The school released a statement by UM President Eric Kaler after the Minneapolis Star Tribune "published a first-person account from Gophers basketball beat writer Amelia Rayno about sexual harassment by Teague." Kaler said, "I deeply regret to now learn that a reporter covering the University was also subject to this type of deplorable behavior, and I extend a sincere apology to Ms. Rayno." Kaler on Friday was "asked if the school had word of any other similar Teague behavior from anyone else." He said, "This was the first report of sexual harassment that the university had received on Norwood Teague. People talk; there are rumors all the time about lots of people, so I'm not going down that walkway with you." Kaler said that acknowledging rumors "could expose the university to some liability." Meanwhile, Kaler emphasized that the school "acted immediately after receiving sexual harassment complaints" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 8/11). The STAR TRIBUNE's Rayno wrote of her first-person account, "I felt the importance of not just this incident, but this issue -- one that so many women endure and so rarely talk about -- obligated my action, even two years tardy" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 8/10).
PAST PROBLEMS: In Minneapolis, Brandon Stahl in a front-page piece reports two complaints accusing Teague of gender discrimination against co-workers "resulted in $300,000 in settlements" dating back to '12. The complaints "were filed by employees" at UM and at VCU, where Teague was previously AD (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 8/11).
