University of Michigan agrees to settle case with dismissed dental student
DETROIT — The University of Michigan is dropping an appeal of a $1.7 million verdict awarded to a former dental student who said she was illegally kicked out of school.
In a court filing, lawyers for Alissa Zwick and four faculty members say they have agreed to settle the case. They asked a federal judge this week to vacate the jury verdict from last year's trial.
Details of the settlement were not included in the court filing. Messages seeking comment left Friday with the university and Zwick's lawyer were not immediately returned.
In December, a jury awarded $1.7 million to Zwick after finding her due-process rights were violated when she was removed from dental school in 2005.
The main defendant at trial was the dental school's chief academic officer, Dr. Marilyn Lantz.
Comments
voiceofreason
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 2:12 p.m.
They really need to stop settling these cases. Unless they begin to do so, this issue will keep reoccurring. One thing not noted in the story is whether she will be reinstated into the dental program. If she truly was dismissed under false pretenses, she should be allowed back into the program. If not, this is just another case of a person receiving an exorbitant amount of money because the school doesn't have the "chutzpah" to fight it.
Tony Dearing
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 11:51 a.m.
Here's a previous story with background on the allegations around her dismissal from dental school. http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2008/12/former_university_of_michigan.html
BornNRaised
Sat, Oct 31, 2009 : 7:18 a.m.
So why was this person thrown out of school? Grades?
Macabre Sunset
Fri, Oct 30, 2009 : 4:30 p.m.
You don't have to fight if it's taxpayer money at stake. By the way, $1.7 million would fund almost 300 $6,000 promise scholarships.