On March 15, Seton Hall filed a motion to dismiss former University President Dr. Joseph Nyre’s multilayered lawsuit, which alleged gaslighting, retaliation and breach of contract.
Nyre’s wife, Kelli, alleged sexual harassment against the University and Kevin Marino, former chair of the Board of Regents. Marino, who is not a defendant in the lawsuit but mentioned multiple times throughout, said in a statement to the Setonian that he is “confident” that this “desperate and pathetic attempt will fail.”
Seton Hall Director of Media Relations Laurie Pine said the University had no comment.
When contacted by the Setonian, Nyre’s lawyer, Armen McOmber, issued the following statement:
“The University filed an expected motion to dismiss our lawsuit on Friday, March 15, 2024. Their motion makes no attempt to defend or even mention their mishandling of the Marino misconduct toward our clients and other employees - because their failures are indefensible.
“We clearly believe the University breached the separation agreement with Dr. Nyre in such a manner to render the agreement null and void, inclusive of the releases contained therein. A jury will determine who is correct.
“Disturbingly, the University has taken the reckless position, counter to its own policies (and we believe law), that women on campus working in an unpaid capacity, completing an unpaid internship, or who are simply guests at a campus function have no protections from, or recourse when experiencing, sexual harassment or discrimination. This is a shocking and reckless position for any University to take and also represents an abject failure in governance.
“Lastly, the University’s Board of Regents now stands accused of misleading the public and possibly engaging in a cover-up relating to serious allegations of sexual harassment, serial misconduct and record manipulation. The University swiftly, publicly and repeatedly proclaimed the allegations against them as ‘completely without merit, and we intend to vigorously contest them.’ Despite the University’s public denials issued during the week of Feb. 5, 2024, the Board of Regents’ legal team opened two investigations into the sexual harassment of Mrs. Nyre and into the record manipulation by Regents raising serious questions about the sincerity of the University's initial dismissal of the allegations.
“This dual approach of public denial and private investigation has cast a shadow over the credibility and ethical compass of the Seton Hall University Board of Regents. Such actions not only harm the purported victims and discourage other victims from reporting misconduct, but also undermine the integrity of the institution as a whole.”
Emma Thumann is the Setonian’s editor-in-chief and a writer for its News section. She can be reached at emma.thumann@student.shu.edu.
