Opinion ID: 8598
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Ethridge Meeting and Subsequent Events

Text: 2 Cantu did not immediately report the incident to law enforcement. She did, however, discuss what happened at the party with fellow students. Several months later, on April 3, 1991, Professor Ethridge was approached by several female students, including Rosa Linda Flores, Veronica Galvan, Yolanda Escobar, Rosalba Ramos and Maria Solis. The women informed Ethridge that Cantu was telling people she had been sexually assaulted at the December party. On April 5, a meeting was held to discuss the allegations. Present were Ethridge, the Dean of Students, an assistant professor in the criminal justice department, Ms. Cantu and several female students, including Rosa Linda Flores, Sylvia Galvan and Cynthia Rodriguez. At that meeting, Flores and Sylvia Galvan, who were both present at the party, related details strongly suggesting that the sexual activity between Cantu and Lopez was consensual. Based on that information, Ethridge suggested that Lopez should be present to give his side of the story. Cantu was offended by Ethridge's remark and took it as evidence that Ethridge did not believe her account of the assault. After the April 5 meeting, Cantu alleges, Ethridge embarked on a course of conduct intended to intimidate her, which included the following acts: (1) following her in the hallways; (2) obstructing her passage from a water fountain; (3) showing up in a classroom and positioning himself where Cantu usually sat so that she could not avoid encountering him and (4) repeatedly going in and out of a room where she was taking a make-up exam, which affected her performance. Ethridge unequivocally denies that he followed Cantu, obstructed her access to a water fountain, positioned himself on her desk or took any other action designed to intimidate or harass Cantu. 3 Cantu claims that she was injured by Ethridge's behavior because she was unable to attend class if he was substituting and had to delay her graduation to avoid taking classes taught by Ethridge. On appeal, Cantu's only claim against Ethridge is a state law claim for intentional infliction of emotional distress.