University of Arizona Settles Pay Discrimination Lawsuit Filed by Three Former Women Deans

In January 2018 a class action lawsuit was filed against the Arizona Board of Regents by Patricia MacCorquodale, the former dean of the University of Arizona Honors College. The lawsuit alleged that there was university-wide gender discrimination in pay. Dr. MacCorquodale claimed that she was underpaid for decades and in 2016 was replaced by a man who had a starting salary $70,000 higher than what she had been paid.

Later that year, Janie Cervelli, former dean of the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture and Joan Shaver, former dean of the College of Nursing joined the lawsuit. The plaintiffs alleged that women deans were generally paid less than male deans.

Now the university has settled the lawsuit, but the terms were not disclosed. Dr. MacCorquodale and Dr. Shaver continue to serve on the university’s faculty. Dr. Cervelli is now president of Saint Mary’s College in Indiana.