UCLA surgeon and associate professor alleges racial discrimination in lawsuit against Regents
By Daily Bruin Staff
April 20, 2012 12:10 p.m.
A UCLA surgeon filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the UC Board of Regents Tuesday, alleging that the university failed to prevent discrimination, harassment and retaliation, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.
Dr. Christian Head, a head and neck surgeon, said in the complaint filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court that he has been routinely publicly humiliated by colleagues. He said he was once depicted as a gorilla being sodomized by a department chairman in a slideshow presentation at a resident graduate event, which traditionally roasts faculty members, several years ago, the newspaper reported.
Phil Hampton, a university spokesman, told the L.A. Times in a statement that the university has investigated the issue and found that “the evidence does not substantiate the claims of unlawful activity.” He said in the statement that Head was directed to bring his complaints to the Academic Senate, which handles faculty allegations of mistreatment, and has not done so yet.
Head, however, said he has made numerous complaints and has tried to resolve the issues with the university before seeking legal counsel, the Times reported. He said university employees have retaliated against him for filing complaints and have denied him opportunities, according to the complaint.
Compiled by Kylie Reynolds, Bruin senior staff.
