Opinion ID: 1772334
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Dr. Harris

Text: Byrd alleges that he chose to attend ASU because he wanted to major in music media and he found ASU's music media program, as described in ASU's undergraduate catalog 1994-1996, appealing. According to Byrd, his undisputed testimony clearly proved that none of the courses listed in the catalog for the music media curriculum were taught during Byrd's four years as an ASU student, that ASU did not have an instructor qualified to teach the specialized courses for music media students, and that ASU did not have the equipment necessary to teach music media courses. Byrd argues that Dr. Harris, as the president of ASU, had the authority and the responsibility to ensure that the information in ASU's catalog was accurate. Because, Byrd says, the representations in ASU's catalog were material to Byrd's decision to enroll at ASU and because he relied upon those representations once admitted, Byrd contends that Dr. Harris should be held liable for the allegedly fraudulent misrepresentations in ASU's undergraduate catalog. We must first resolve the availability of an immunity defense before analyzing the merits of Byrd's substantive claims. See Ryan v. Hayes, 831 So.2d 21 (Ala. 2002) (the defense of State or State-agent immunity should be determined as a threshold issue). Dr. Harris contends that Byrd's fraud claim is, in actuality, a claim against ASU. According to Dr. Harris, ASUnot Dr. Harrispublished the undergraduate course catalog. Dr. Harris argues that Byrd cannot circumvent ASU's sovereign immunity by suing Dr. Harris, in his official or individual capacity, for the alleged misrepresentations in the ASU undergraduate catalog. Dr. Harris cites Carter v. Board of Trustees of Univ. of Alabama in Birmingham, 431 So.2d 529, 531 (Ala.1983), quoting Milton v. Espey, 356 So.2d 1201, 1202 (Ala.1978) (`The prohibition of Section 14 [of the Constitution] cannot be circumvented by suing the official or agent individually.'). Although Dr. Harris maintains that Byrd's lawsuit is, in actuality, a suit against the State, his argument on appeal addresses whether he is liable on the merits for Byrd's fraud claim. We acknowledge that when a State agent acts willfully, maliciously, fraudulently, in bad faith, beyond his or her authority, or under a mistaken interpretation of the law, the agent is not immune from civil liability. Ex parte Cranman, 792 So.2d 392, 405 (Ala.2000). Because the allegations of the complaint charge Dr. Harris, in his individual capacity, with fraud, Ex parte Cranman does not shield Dr. Harris from immunity, and we must analyze the merits of Byrd's fraud claim. In order to survive a summary judgment on his fraud claim, Byrd had to prove by substantial evidence that there was a genuine issue of material fact as to whether Dr. Harris (1) made a misrepresentation; (2) of a material existing fact; (3) upon which Byrd reasonably relied; (4) which proximately caused injury or damage to Byrd. See Padgett v. Hughes, 535 So.2d 140, 142 (Ala.1988). Byrd presented evidence in the form of his deposition testimony, the affidavit of another music media student, ASU undergraduate catalogs, and correspondence between Byrd and Dr. Lamar and Dr. Steptoe, indicating that the ASU undergraduate catalog 1994-1996 misrepresented the courses that would be available to music media students and the condition of its music recording studio. However, Byrd failed to present substantial evidence indicating that Dr. Harris prepared the course curriculum for the school of music, that Dr. Harris was specifically aware of what courses the catalog advertised for music media students, or that Dr. Harris had approved the ASU undergraduate catalog, 1994-1996, for publication. Further, the record is devoid of any evidence indicating that Dr. Harris made any direct misrepresentation to Byrd. The record indicates that Byrd initiated contact with Dr. Harris only once while he was a student at ASU. During the fall semester of 1999, Byrd wrote a letter to Dr. Harris and to several other faculty members. Byrd testified that the letter was in response to the failure of the instructor for the basic recording course to appear until four or five weeks into the semester and the instructor's offer to give students in the course a grade for work they had not performed. In the letter, Byrd explained that he was concerned about finishing his degree program and that he did not understand why courses in his major were not being taught at ASU. There is no evidence in the record indicating that Byrd received any response from Dr. Harris. Fraud is never presumed, and a person who asserts fraud has the burden of proof. Wilson v. Southern Med. Ass'n, 547 So.2d 510, 514 (Ala.1989). We recognize that the president of any institution is the highest authority within that institution and that he or she bears the responsibility for managing the operation of the institution. However, without substantial evidence indicating that Dr. Harris himself made misrepresentations to Byrd or that he approved the alleged misrepresentations in the ASU catalog, Byrd's fraud claim against Dr. Harris must fail. Thus, the trial court did not err when it entered a summary judgment in favor of Dr. Harris as to Byrd's fraud claim, and that summary judgment is affirmed.