When Stephanie Hill began working at Chattanooga State Community College in 2010, campus policing was, she wrote, "flatly amateurish and a disorganized shambles."
In a complaint filed in Hamilton County Chancery Court, Hill alleges Chattanooga State kept no record of its officers' training and certification, had no emergency notification system in place to deal with situations like a campus shooter and did not even provide its officers with uniforms, radios or standard-issue weapons.
Hill was hired as assistant director of security in 2010 and says she worked to solve these problems. She was promoted in 2011 to director of police services. But her lawsuit claims that, despite her new position, she was never accepted by one of her bosses, Assistant Vice President of Plant Operations Steve Huskins.
"Hill did not conform to Huskins' gender stereotypes for females in the workplace," the complaint states. "Specifically, in her dress, mannerisms and authoritative, forceful leadership style in a management area traditionally dominated by males, Hill did not conform with Huskins'stereotypic views on females in the workplace."
According to court documents, Huskins refused to call Hill "Chief" and told her subordinates not to use the name either. He encouraged her to circumvent the chain of command and ignored her in favor of her male peers.
The complaint alleges that Huskins didn't just make his biases known, he launched a campaign to have her removed from her post. He initiated an investigation into complaints made by two officers who were disgruntled because Hill disciplined or placed them on leave, the complaint alleges.
Huskins declined to comment and directed questions to Chattanooga State spokeswoman Eva Lewis, who said the school couldn't comment on pending legal action, but confirmed Hill was on paid administrative leave from Aug. 29, 2014, to May 31, 2015. The suit was filed June 1.
Initially, Executive Vice President Tammy Swenson indicated she would support Hill and dismiss Huskins' complaints. But when it became clear Hill would not support Swenson's efforts to keep two traffic tickets issued to friends from being reported to the court, Swenson changed course, according to the complaint. She never called the meeting she had promised would end the complaints.
On Aug. 29, Huskins summoned Hill to his office and handed her a prepared letter signed by former President Jim Catanzaro placing her on paid administrative leave. Catanzaro later told Hill he never signed the letter, the lawsuit states.
When Hill complained of gender bias, the school launched an investigation that took nearly seven months to complete. It recommended "no further action" on Hill's behalf.
Another report on Hill's actions was released to Hill, Huskins and Swenson, and quoted Huskins' own report draft. It recommended she be terminated, in like with Huskins' original recommendation.
Hill's civil complaint alleges gender descrimination and statutory retaliatory discharge and requests a jury trial.
Contact staff writer Claire Wiseman at cwiseman@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6347. Follow her on Twitter @clairelwiseman.