SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – An attorney that represented four women who came forward and filed complaints against a medical school chancellor in Shreveport says her clients are relieved after the chancellor resigned from his position Thursday.
LSU Health Sciences employees Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Dr. Jennifer Woerner, D.M.D., M.D., F.A.C.S., Dean of the School of Allied Health, Dr. Sharon Dunn, Ph,D, P.T., Dr. Christina Notarianni, M.D., F.A.A.N.S., Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery, and Dr. Christi Renaudo, Ed.D., Academic Affairs, filed EEOC complaints in April and called for the removal of Dr. G.E. Ghali as Chancellor, who they allege mishandled their complaints about discrimination and engaged in retaliation himself.
Dr. Ghali was placed on administrative leave on April 12 following the complaints and strongly denied the reported allegations. A month later, Dr. Woerner, was involuntarily placed on leave after formal complaints were filed against her.
On Wednesday, June 16, it was announced that Dr. Ghali had been reinstated as chancellor, and Dr. Woerner filed a lawsuit in Caddo District Court asking to be immediately reinstated after the medical school “acted unlawfully.” Just a day after being reinstated, Dr. Ghali stepped down from his position.
“Although the results of these investigations come as no surprise to me or my family, the unjustified attacks and distractions that we have had to endure for the past several months has weighed heavily upon me and my loved ones and brought several issues to light,” Dr. G.E. Ghali said in a letter to LSU Health Shreveport Thursday.
“Obviously my clients are very relieved to hear that Dr. Ghali will no longer be the chancellor at LSU Health science center in Shreveport,” Attorney Alison Jones said during a news briefing.
“I think the timing of it tells you that something was at play. I demanded yesterday that he either resign or that the board of supervisors take action; personal corrective action. And we have a registration today. I think that news speaks for itself,” Jones said.
Jones also says her clients believed LSU Health would have done the “right thing” from the beginning.
“First of all, let’s be clear. Dr. Ghali was not cleared of exonerated on all claims. the statement was that they didn’t find that there were any title 9 or title 7 claims. There is just no way if you’ve seen the evidence I’ve seen that my clients had presented that an investigation could completely exonerate Dr. Ghali.”
Jones says she she wants to see the internal report.
“I think we need to see the investigatory report regarding dr. Ghali’s conduct. that report was made and as a result, allowed the reinstatement as chancellor.
so let’s look at that report and see if we can evaluate that conduct.”
Dr. Ghali will remain at the school as a faculty member according to his resignation letter.