DePaul Cannot Dismiss Title IX Case, Court Rules
Susan H. Greenberg
January 11, 2023
An Illinois district court denied a motion by DePaul University Monday to dismiss a wrongful-termination Title IX lawsuit brought by a sports psychologist whose company provided mental health care to the university’s student athletes.
By allowing the case to move forward, the Northern District Court of Illinois affirmed that civil rights protections in an educational setting extend to independent contractors.
For 13 years, DePaul’s athletics department contracted Jenny Conviser and her company, Ascend, to provide mental health care and eating-disorder treatment for student athletes. But when Conviser began speaking out about sex abuse and discrimination in the department—including by a legendary softball coach—the athletics staff started limiting the number of students they sent to her for help. Eventually, DePaul terminated its contract with Conviser and Ascend.
