The case was brought by Zakia Smith, who was hired in 2008 and applied unsuccessfully for promotion to a position as coordinator of state and private funds. A selection committee ranked her first and recommended that she be hired, court documents say. However, TSU’s financial aid director selected a White man whom the committee had ranked second, saying he was better-suited for the job.
Smith’s lawyer, Brian Winfrey of Nashville, said the judge missed “our real argument that she had superior qualifications across the board,” including superior education and extensive financial aid experience.
The suit also claims Smith was later demoted to a lower-paying, less prestigious call center job and harassed in retaliation for filing an internal grievance and an EEOC discrimination complaint.
