Former USC athletic director Mike Garrett sued for sexual harassment

Mike Garrett was USC’s AD until 2010 (AP).

 

A woman has filed suit vs. Mike Garrett and alleges the former USC athletic director harassed her and others while he was the athletic director at Cal State Los Angeles.

From ESPN:

Among the claims from Dr. Sheila Hudson, who has served as the senior associate athletic director at the school since 2008, are that Garrett referred to women in the athletics department as sexist names, including “Sweetheart,” “Love,” “Babe” and one woman specifically as “Legs.” The lawsuit also alleges Garrett told a student assistant, “I could kiss you,” and was generally unfit for the job. “Garrett is essentially computer illiterate,” the complaint says.

Garrett became Cal State Los Angeles’ athletic director in November. and left his post in June. The 1965 winner of the Heisman Trophy, Garrett was replaced in 2010 by Pat Haden as USC’s athletic director. Haden recently stepped down and was replaced by former USC wide receiver Lynn Swann. His appointment means USC’s last three athletic directors have all played football for the school.

Hudson, the school’s senior associate athletic director, has been at Cal State Los Angeles since 2002. The suit says that when she asked him to stop using the names he allegedly had for female members of the athletic department, he vociferously denied the allegations.

 

“He yelled, amongst other things, that he has always called women these names — including at USC — and they have never complained,” the lawsuit said. “Feeling intimidated by this attack, [Hudson] returned to her office, only to have Garrett chase after her, storm into her office, close the door and continue to berate her.”

An attorney for the school, which is listed as a defendant in the suit along with Garrett, said Hudson’s claim was without substance.

The suit also includes a request for a court order to make Hudson the school’s athletic director and notes how Hudson received less money than the two men who have previously held her job. She claims that the athletic director job wasn’t posted for applications before Garrett was hired as well as when Daryl Gross was hired to succeed Garrett.