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Former UMSL Vice Chancellor Sues University of Missouri for Negligence

Reinhard Schuster also alleges intentional infliction of emotional distress by UMSL that has led to multiple nervous breakdowns since a 2005 age discrimination suit against UMSL baseball coach Jim Brady.

Former University of Missouri at St. Louis (UMSL) Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services Reinhard Schuster filed suit against the Curators of the University of Missouri Nov. 22 in St. Louis County alleging negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and wrongful and constructive discharge.

Schuster was ordered to pay punitive damages to UMSL baseball coach Jim Brady totaling $200,000 as part of a $1.8 million award made to Brady during an age discrimination suit that cost taxpayers more than $2 million and which was in litigation from 1998 to 2006.

Former UMSL athletics director and current interim director of assessment Patricia Dolan was ordered to pay Brady $100,000 in punitive damages.

Entering the 2011 season, Brady had a career record of 678-531-5, the most wins for any head coach in any sport in UMSL Athletics. He was ranked 15th among NCAA Division II active coaches for the most career wins (665) and ranked 40th all-time in career victories, according to the UMSL website.

Schuster alleges in court documents that attorneys employed by the university were negligent and careless in failing to advise Schuster of the conflict of interest in connection with their representation of all defendants in the Brady lawsuit including their employer the university.

He further alleges that the university intentionally or negligently inflicted severe emotional distress by taking actions that included:

  1. failing to inform him whether it would pay the judgment against him,
  2. making derogatory public statements against him,
  3. denying Schuster additional medical coverage while he was in the hospital for severe depression, and
  4. subjecting only him to a five-year review of all his administrative decisions.

Schuster alleges that as result of these and other actions taken by UMSL he was admitted to St. Luke’s Hospital and subsequently to St. John’s Mercy in December of 2006 and was diagnosed as having suffered a complete nervous breakdown.

Following his return to work, Schuster alleges the university:

  1. reinstated him at the same pay grade but reduced his title to Associate Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services,
  2. deprived him the use of a company vehicle although he had access to one since 1994, and
  3. demanded he retire by July 2007.

On July 23, 2008 after Schuster alleges he was given a 48-hour notice of termination, he was admitted to the hospital for another severe nervous breakdown and resigned from the university.

John Toma Jr. of Toma Zensen, LLC is representing Schuster while Acting General Counsel Phillip Hoskins is representing the University of Missouri System.

Attempts to reach both sides for comment were unsuccessful as of Tuesday afternoon.

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