Woman Sues Harvard For Sexual Harassment

A woman who says a Harvard administrator sexually harassed her has filed a lawsuit charging that the University ignored and covered up her complaint.

University officials denied that sexual harassment had occurred and said the lawsuit is without merit.

M. Delise Battenfield, an Extension School administrator now on leave, filed a complaint in Middlesex Superior Court last July against Harvard University and three of her former colleagues charging:

. That Donald Ostrowski, research coordinator in the masters of liberal arts program at the Extension School, "on several occasions during the fall of 1988... requested sexual favors from the plaintiff and made unauthorized physical contact of a sexual nature while they were alone discussing work."

. That Dean of Continuing Education and University Extension Michael Shinagel condoned sexual discrimination and a hostile work environment by mishandling and failing to investigate her harassment complaint.

. That the plaintiff, Battenfield, now on disability leave as assistant director for the masters of liberal arts program at the Extension School, became severely ill as a result of the harassment and hostile workplace environment.

Harvard denied the charges in a response filed last December. The case is scheduled to go to trial in September.

"There's no merit to the case," Shinagel said Saturday. He refused to comment further, referring questions to University lawyers.

University Attorney Allan A. Ryan Jr. said in an interview last week, "As far as we know, there's been nothing improper at all done here." He declined to comment further on the allegations.

"The case is still in a very early stage," Ryan said.

Ostrowski, who is still employed at the Extension School, said he was unaware of the lawsuit and denied the sexual harassment charges.

"I can deny any claim, in any way, shape or form, of sexual harassment," Ostrowski said Friday.

Ostrowski said Extension School administrators and University lawyers had not informed him about the lawsuit--even though University lawyers had already filed a legal response denying the charges.

"So there's a lawsuit?" he said. "Why haven't they told me?"

When a reporter informed him of the allegationsof sexual harassment, Ostrowski said, "That'svery, very, very serious."

Ostrowski said he did not know Battenfieldwell. He said he thought she stopped working atthe Extension School because she wanted to write aplay.

"I'm still kind of dumbfounded. I just have noidea what it's about," Ostrowksi said, aftertalking with a Harvard lawyer.

Attorney Peter W. Adler, who is representingBattenfield in the lawsuit, said it seemed strangethat Harvard would file a response denying thecharges without talking to Ostrowski about thesuit.

Battenfield refused to comment yesterday. Herhusband, Norris E. Dickard, who is also aplaintiff in the case, could not be reached.

Adler said in a statement last Thursday that heand Battenfield will be able to prove Ostrowskisexually harassed Battenfield and that Shinageland Harvard mishandled her complaint.

"Our chance of winning a jury verdict on allcounts is high," Adler said.

Adler said there are witnesses who willcorroborate Battenfield's allegations. He alsosaid the University may have received complaintsthat Ostrowski sexually harassed two other femalesat Harvard.

According to the suit, Battenfield complainedabout Ostrowski to Shinagel in May 1991. Shinagelallegedly said during that meeting, "That's sexualharassment."

Battenfield charges in court documents thatShinagel then proceeded to ignore her sexualharassment complaint and cover up the matter.

The University Policy on Sexual Harassment saysthat when a complaint is made, "Universityauthorities will explore the allegationsexpeditiously and thoroughly."

But Adler said, "Harvard's policy about sexualdiscrimination turned out to have been written ininvisible ink."

Adler said he met with Harvard in late Augustand demanded a $125,000 cash settlement. TheUniversity refused the offer. Adler said that nowthe likelihood for settling out of court seems"very low."

The lawsuit also names Sue Weaver Schopf, aresearch coordinator at the Extension School, as adefendant in the case.

Schopf, who is accused of contributing to ahostile work environment, said the generalcounsel's office told her not to discuss the case.She refused to comment further.

Other Extension School administrators declinedto comment on the case or did not return phonecalls.

Gady A. Epstein contributed to the reportingof this article.

When a reporter informed him of the allegationsof sexual harassment, Ostrowski said, "That'svery, very, very serious."

Ostrowski said he did not know Battenfieldwell. He said he thought she stopped working atthe Extension School because she wanted to write aplay.

"I'm still kind of dumbfounded. I just have noidea what it's about," Ostrowksi said, aftertalking with a Harvard lawyer.

Attorney Peter W. Adler, who is representingBattenfield in the lawsuit, said it seemed strangethat Harvard would file a response denying thecharges without talking to Ostrowski about thesuit.

Battenfield refused to comment yesterday. Herhusband, Norris E. Dickard, who is also aplaintiff in the case, could not be reached.

Adler said in a statement last Thursday that heand Battenfield will be able to prove Ostrowskisexually harassed Battenfield and that Shinageland Harvard mishandled her complaint.

"Our chance of winning a jury verdict on allcounts is high," Adler said.

Adler said there are witnesses who willcorroborate Battenfield's allegations. He alsosaid the University may have received complaintsthat Ostrowski sexually harassed two other femalesat Harvard.

According to the suit, Battenfield complainedabout Ostrowski to Shinagel in May 1991. Shinagelallegedly said during that meeting, "That's sexualharassment."

Battenfield charges in court documents thatShinagel then proceeded to ignore her sexualharassment complaint and cover up the matter.

The University Policy on Sexual Harassment saysthat when a complaint is made, "Universityauthorities will explore the allegationsexpeditiously and thoroughly."

But Adler said, "Harvard's policy about sexualdiscrimination turned out to have been written ininvisible ink."

Adler said he met with Harvard in late Augustand demanded a $125,000 cash settlement. TheUniversity refused the offer. Adler said that nowthe likelihood for settling out of court seems"very low."

The lawsuit also names Sue Weaver Schopf, aresearch coordinator at the Extension School, as adefendant in the case.

Schopf, who is accused of contributing to ahostile work environment, said the generalcounsel's office told her not to discuss the case.She refused to comment further.

Other Extension School administrators declinedto comment on the case or did not return phonecalls.

Gady A. Epstein contributed to the reportingof this article.