Pernetti Replacement Involved in Discrimination Suit

The Rutgers athletics program continues to face controversy following reports that incoming director Julie Hermann was involved in a lawsuit over allegations of discrimination at her previous post, NJ.com reported.

According to a lawsuit filed in the Kentucky Supreme Court, during Hermann's time as assistant athletic director at Louisville, she was involved in firing Mary Banker, an assistant coach, for reporting complaints of gender discrimination to the school's human resources department.

Banker sued the school in 2010 and was awarded over $300,000, but an appeals court overturned the verdict for lack of evidence. The case is currently before the state supreme court.

Banker alleges that she had confided to Hermann about the discrimination, but that after she brought her unanswered complaints to HR, Hermann told her she had made a mistake. Banker claims she was fired in retaliation three weeks later.

According to court documents, NJ.com reported, Hermann told Banker she "should not have gone to HR," and that doing so would make it difficult to "work downstairs." In the suit, the school maintains that the dismissal was related to Banker's job performance.

The legal questions surrounding Hermann come only weeks after she accepted the post at Rutgers, promising a restoration of credibility to the school's embattled athletics program.

Oakland resident Tim Pernetti, Hermann's predecessor, left the position after videos surfaced of basketball coach Mike Rice harassing players during practices of the Division I program. Pernetti claimed that the university had overrided his decision to fire Rice, but the media scrutiny following the videos led to his resignation in April.

Hermann has maintained that she has no history of poor job performance, and points out that a decision has yet to be reached in the discrimination case. She is poised to take the helm of the Rutgers Athletic Department next month.