Wisconsin university sued for allegedly demoting staff member from diversity position for being 'White'

A University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire staff member sued her employer over being ousted from a position in a campus diversity office allegedly for being "White."

The lawsuit alleges that when Rochelle Hoffman was promoted to UW-Eau Claire's interim director of the campus's Multicultural Student Services office, the school's former Vice Chancellor for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Student Affairs Olga Diaz was told by students that a White woman was not fit to preside over a position intended to serve students of color. 

"You hired a white woman as the Interim Director?" one student was cited in a federal complaint against the university.

STEM HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS STAGE SIT-IN PROTEST, URGE HARSH PUNISHMENTS FOR BIAS INCIDENTS, IMPROVE DEI POLICY

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's campus.  (Google Maps)

Per the complaint, another student asked, "Do you personally feel white staff can do as effective a job as a person of color, within a space for people of color?"

Hoffman said she felt compelled to resign last year after eight months of intense hostility and staff questioning her "legitimacy" after being promoted to interim director of the campus's Multicultural Student Services office, the complaint states.

Hoffman worked for the campus's Blugold Beginnings office for six years prior to the promotion. According to Wisconsin Public Radio, the "office served underrepresented, low-income and first-generation college students." 

HARVARD COLLEGE SEES DROP IN EARLY APPLICANTS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR: 'HARVARD'S REPUTATION HAS BEEN DAMAGED'

College students walking on campus.

Reportedly, the office merged with the UW-Eau Claire Office of Multicultural Affairs last year.

"Despite Hoffman’s exceptional qualifications, however, students, faculty and staff opposed her appointment to Interim Director of MSS solely because she was white," the complaint claims. "It was exclusively Hoffman’s identity as white that was the issue; criticism was about her race and color, not her qualifications."

The complaint also says that while Hoffman was working in Blugold Beginnings and the Multicultural Student Services, her ratings on a performance review praised her as "exceeds expectations" and "Outstanding."

The complaint states further, "Despite Hoffman’s exceptional qualifications, however, students, faculty and staff opposed her appointment to Interim Director of MSS solely because she was white. It was exclusively Hoffman’s identity as white that was the issue; criticism was about her race and color, not her qualifications."

After suing her employer on Dec. 14 in the Western District of Wisconsin, Hoffman now works as a senior academic advising coordinator for the university.

The Western District of Wisconsin located in Madison, Wisconsin. (Google Maps)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The lawsuit lists the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, UW-Eau Claire Chancellor Jim Schmidt, and Assistant Chancellor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Teresa O'Halloran.

A spokesperson from UW-Eau Claire sent Fox News Digital a statement about the lawsuit.

"As is the case with all pending litigation, UW-Eau Claire will not offer a statement or comment on the lawsuit. UW-Eau Claire does not discriminate based on race in any employment decisions," the spokesperson said. 

The UW-Eau Claire Board of Regents sent Fox News Digital the following statement, "We do not comment on pending litigation."