The university PR system was cranked up to its fullest.
Letters were sent out to various alumni groups around the
country and speakers to these groups were alerted and advised.
The trashing of Diana blossomed into an intellectual lynching
of the lowest order. Much later on, as people came to understand
that the university had not complied with the findings of the court
and Attorney General, there was a general loss of respect for Belmont
which contributed to a decrease in enrollment.
The official Belmont University response was delivered by
the public relations spokesperson who dismissed the LOD as,
"inconsequential. I don't know what all the fuss is about,"
he said. "When you cut through the fancy title at the top
it's just a lawyer's opinion." No one else at Belmont
was available for comment.
The Pope did know what all the fuss was about and was
stung by the words of condemnation contained in the LOD.
He immediately called his contact at the Washington DC office
of the EEOC. He complained fiercely that the LOD never gave
the university's side of the question. "No one here was
interviewed by the investigator from the Attorney General's Office,"
he protested peevishly.
He got that right!
His contact got his protest an immediate hearing by the EEOC chairman,
who directed the regional office to quash the Attorney General's LOD.
No one in the head office bothered to read the LOD and learn
that the reason there were no interviews of university personnel
because they refused to cooperate with the investigation.
Friends in high places, indeed.
In addition, The Pope called a meeting to discuss their
court strategy. "Now," The Pope said forcefully, "It's time
we did something to end the legal hassle. That damned judge!
And, this A.G. letter on top of it. We are getting too much
bad publicity. The letters and phone calls are driving everyone
crazy around here. It's gone on long enough--too long!" Sitting
around the conference table in the west wing of his office with
him was Murrain, Henry Tarbuck and Jimbo.
Murrain spoke confidently. "The court business is nearly finished.
I have already petitioned the judge for permission to start discovery.
Unless the plaintiff is sitting on a gold mine, that will finish off her
bank account right there."
"How's that?" asked Jimbo.
"During discovery, we take depositions. Al Garret will have to
depose a lot more witness than we do in order to even come close
to presenting his case. Conservatively speaking, he's looking
at nearly a thousand bucks a day that he must bill Trenchant.
"And that's not even the best part." Murrain caressed his
face with his hand as if re-oiling the smile on its surface.
"I'll coach our people in evasive answers, which means that
it will take days of deposition time for him to get the
information that an unprepared witness would give in a hour.
"Good." The Pope was pleased.
Not so pleased was Al Garret and the plaintiff. Both attorneys
had agreed some months ago that the process of discovery would not
be commenced until the judge had given his final ruling on the motions
and the trial date set. Murrain delivered his low blow without missing
a beat. "Oh," he cooed when Al called him to complain, "I must have
misunderstood. I thought you wanted to get started before the final ruling."
Al was outclassed and he knew it. Apologetically, he called the plaintiff
and drew her the financial picture. An appeal to the judge for permission
to delay discovery was ignored--Murrain had carefully picked his time.
It was one of the last orders the judge signed before departing
on his vacation.
That's all she wrote, Diana acknowledged In debt and unemployed,
she dropped her illegal-termination suit against Belmont University.
AFTERGLOW