St. Joseph’s University is paying for the legal defense for at least four alumnae, who, along with the university, are being sued by a former math professor dismissed over a Twitter dispute, according to a claim in a recent legal filing.
Although it is not illegal for a third party to pay for the legal defense of the former students, such a move does come with ethical questions.
Greg Manco had been a visiting professor in math and an unpaid assistant baseball coach at St. Joe’s for 14 years when he became the focus of a Twitter controversy in February 2021. After an investigation that ran the remainder of the Spring semester, St. Joe’s said it had “insufficient evidence” that Manco had acted inappropriately.
Weeks later, however, the university did not renew his contract as visiting professor, blaming the move on budgetary constraints. Manco felt forced to take an adjunct contract which greatly reduced his pay and benefits.
Manco sued in January, alleging that the university violated its contract, and further alleged the university conspired with one graduate to solicit and collect damaging information against him in violation of university policies.
Manco and his attorney, Joseph Toddy, say in a proposed amended filing that by covering the legal fees for all defendants, St. Joe’s creates ongoing evidence of the conspiracy.
Setting aside the conspiracy claim, the new filing does not provide any documentary proof of St. Joe’s making the legal payments for the defense of...
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