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January 9, 1997

Sexual harassment suit against University and professor is settled

A former Pitt employee and graduate student has settled a sexual harassment suit against the University and professor Tony Petrosky, who holds joint appointments in the School of Education's Department of Instruction and Learning, and the English department.

Lori R. Stilley, formerly of Dillsburg, York County, and now a resident of West Virginia, sued the University and Petrosky in March 1995, alleging that Petrosky sexually harassed her for more than four years, from January 1990 to May 1994.

Petrosky was Stilley's supervisor, academic adviser and chair of her dissertation committee during the period.

According to the suit filed in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court, Petrosky had threatened to sabotage Stilley's academic career and fired her as a graduate student researcher after she rebuffed his advances.

Pitt's Director of Communications Ken Service said the suit was settled on Jan. 3, but that he could not discuss details.

"The matter was amicably resolved," said Service. "I am not at liberty to discuss it any further than that." Pitt was named in the suit because Petrosky's supervisors allegedly knew about the problem, but failed to take action. The suit sought unspecified damages in excess of $25,000.

Filed under: Feature,Volume 29 Issue 9

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