Fort Worth, Texas – In a landmark decision for workplace fairness, U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman awarded engineering professor Haiying Huang $422,327 after a Fort Worth jury concluded that the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) retaliated against her and did not promptly address sex‑based harassment.
Jury findings and award breakdown
The jury determined that UTA removed Dr. Huang from the associate chair position she held from 2022 to 2024 because she highlighted the excessive workload faced by women faculty members. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, her report was protected speech, and the university’s actions constituted unlawful retaliation.
Jurors also found that former department chair Erian Armanios harassed Dr. Huang because of her gender and that UTA failed to take swift corrective action after learning of the conduct. While the jury did not find her gender a factor in her removal, it awarded $75,000 for lost pay, benefits, and emotional harm.
Judge Pittman’s October 16 judgment added $140,000 in front‑pay, representing five years of income the professor would have earned as associate chair, a role that paid an additional $28,000 per year on top of her faculty salary. The total award also includes nearly $200,000 for attorneys’ fees and costs, with a 10 % reduction for billing entries that were not fully separated from other client work.
Professor’s perspective and university response
Dr. Huang, who remains a professor in UTA’s mechanical and aerospace engineering department, testified that returning to the associate chair role would create an “inhospitable working environment” for both herself and the university. She argued that front‑pay was the appropriate remedy because reinstatement would not be feasible given the ongoing faculty conflict.
UTA called Dr. Huang’s claim that departmental relationships were “irreparably damaged” disingenuous, noting that she continues to serve as a faculty member. The university did not comment further on the judgment.
Judicial order and future implications
Judge Pittman’s order permanently bars UTA from further retaliation or sex‑based discrimination against Dr. Huang. While Dr. Huang sought broader remedies—including rescinding internal investigation findings, removing a written warning from her file, and mandating external reviews of department policies—the judge found those requests overly expansive.
In a separate lawsuit filed on September 21, Dr. Huang alleges additional retaliation and sex discrimination in UTA’s selection process for a permanent department chair. Neither the August jury verdict nor the October judgment addressed those later claims.
Community impact
The case underscores the importance of protecting faculty who raise legitimate concerns about gender equity and workload fairness. It also serves as a reminder to Texas higher‑education institutions that Title VII protections extend to academic environments, and that retaliation can result in substantial financial penalties.
For further information, contact Dang Le, higher‑education reporter at the Fort Worth Report ([email protected]).
Original reporting: Fort Worth Report — read the source article.
