Opinion ID: 1508892
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: Grine failed to obtain his doctorate in Marketing at the University of Arkansas while working under the advice and direction of Appellee Dr. Dub Ashton (Ashton). Grine asserts Ashton caused this by acting in bad faith in giving him an unworkable dissertation topic, and then in giving him inaccurate, arbitrary, and false information. Grine alleges he told Ashton in July 1995, that he had to finish his doctorate by October 1995, or he would lose a teaching position in Oklahoma, and that Ashton told him it was not a problem. Then, as the summer of 1995 ended, Grine states Ashton told him he was not optimistic Grine could finish by October. Grine states some drafts had been with Ashton for a year, and he had not read them. Grine asserts Ashton ceased to cooperate until Grine went to the department head to complain. Then, Grine alleges, Ashton read the drafts within a week of his discussion with the department head and returned a negative response when all previous responses had been positive. Grine also asserts that in a subsequent meeting Ashton told him he was angry because Grine had gone to the department head. Some time later, Ashton told Grine that Grine was unable to conceptualize what a dissertation should look like and that he should just give up. Grine then took his work to three other professors who told him that his work was inferior in quality. According to Grine, one professor said she was not sure the topic could be developed into anything acceptable as a dissertation. Grine believes Ashton initially acted out of simple ignorance because Ashton had failed to stay abreast of developments in the field of marketing. Grine asserts Ashton later realized that his ignorance would become manifest to his colleagues during the dissertation process. This, according Grine, made Ashton become deliberate in avoiding him and in giving him false information. Grine asserts that Ashton's actions ultimately caused him to fail to complete his doctorate within the seven year period allowed by the University. As to the other University officials, Grine contends they should be enjoined from enforcing the seven-year doctoral completion period so that he may continue pursuit of his doctorate. On appeal, Grine argues that the trial court erred because Grine properly pleaded exceptions to sovereign immunity. More particularly, appellant avers that his complaint alleged acts that were ultra vires, bad faith, and arbitrary and capricious actions, and thus not entitled to immunity. Grine also argues sovereign immunity is inapplicable to the individuals because they were sued for acts of bad faith for which they and not the State would pay.