Lawsuit Against MU Moves Forward

COLUMBIA (AP) – A Missouri appeals court has revived a former professor’s gender discrimination lawsuit against the University of Missouri.The Western District Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that a trial court must determine if Loreen Olson had a legal contract to become the head of the university’s communications department in 2010.Olson sued after the College of Arts and Sciences withdrew the job offer when she and Dean Michael O’Brien couldn’t agree on compensation and job duties. Olson now teaches at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.A Boone County judge dismissed most of the lawsuit last fall, saying Olson did not have a legal contract.Local media the appeals court reversed that decision, saying a trial court should determine if Olson was offered a legal contract.