Former UTA administrator sues after she was fired, allegedly bullied by president

A former administrator at the University of Texas at Arlington is suing the school for more than $200,000 following her termination last year, alleging she was bullied by University President Dr. Vistasp Karbhari and then fired after she spoke out.

The mistreatment is part of a pattern of Karbhari bullying and retaliating against female subordinates, the lawsuit alleges.

Deborah Robinson served as the UTA vice president for institutional advancement for about 11 months under the supervision of Karbhari, according to the lawsuit. In March 2019, she was fired on the grounds “it’s not a good fit and we are going in a different direction,” the lawsuit states.

The sudden termination came after she complained to Karbhari’s general counsel about what she claimed was adverse treatment of her and other female subordinates, the lawsuit states. That includes alleged bullying, threats of termination like saying you will “not be working here” and unreasonable demands and goals.

Robinson also alleges in the lawsuit that after she complained about discriminatory action against her on Feb. 21, 2019, Karbhari stopped communicating with her before she was fired.

She’s one of several of Karbhari’s female subordinates who have been terminated or forced to resign, the lawsuit alleges.

“There have been complaints that are internal complaints — not necessarily lawsuits — that are about him,” her attorney, Robert E. Goodman Jr., said over the phone Saturday. “Pretty harsh statements seem to come out of the president’s mouth from time to time.”

A UTA spokesman said Saturday afternoon the school received a request for comment but it didn’t immediately have a statement to offer.

The lawsuit describes the school allegedly failing to act on complaints against Karbhari. Goodman said Saturday he doesn’t understand how the university hasn’t dealt with the issue and has let it get this far, after there have been multiple complaints with similar details.

Robinson claims that after she was fired, Karbhari made false defamatory statements about her in order to justify her termination, the lawsuit states. She believes Karbhari circulated information that she had gotten fired because she had serious performance problems and she had told someone she could get him fired, both of which weren’t reasons told to Robinson, Goodman said.

She denies both of the allegations, he said.

Robinson demands a jury trial in the case, the lawsuit states. She claims she was discriminated against based on her sex and there was retaliation, in violation of Chapter 21 of the Texas Labor Code.

She claims in the lawsuit her termination has resulted in not only lost compensation but emotional pain, mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life.

This story was originally published February 1, 2020 at 4:59 PM.