University Of Texas Law School Seeks To Dismiss Sex Discrimination Complaint, Says Linda Mullenix Has 'Bruised Ego'

Following up on my previous post, Linda Mullenix Files Federal Lawsuit Against University Of Texas Law School Alleging Sex Discrimination, Retaliation, And Violation Of Equal Pay Act:  Texas Lawyer, UT Austin Argues for Dismissal, Saying Female Law Professor Has 'Bruised Ego':

The University of Texas at Austin argues that law professor Linda Mullenix, who sued for pay discrimination, has a “higher opinion of her work than her colleagues do” and does not have enough evidence the law school retaliated against her.

Much of Mullenix’s retaliation allegations “fall into the category of bruised ego” rather than actionable retaliation, the university claimed. The school argued that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in Austin should, for a second time, dismiss a retaliation claim in the law professor’s sex discrimination lawsuit.

Mullenix has alleged that she’s a distinguished law professor but she was paid more than $134,000 less from 2017 to 2019 than a male law professor with similar teacher evaluations ratings but nearly a decade less experience, fewer publications and fewer honors. She claimed that because she opposed unequal pay practices, the school retaliated by giving her low raises, putting her on insignificant committees and marginalizing her. ...

The university argued in a motion to dismiss that Mullenix has gotten raises consistently and her current salary is more than $337,000.

“Mullenix brings this suit to object to the size of those raises because she has a higher opinion of her work than her colleagues do,” said the motion to dismiss in Mullenix v. University of Texas at Austin. “The law school’s judgments about Mullenix’s recent performance and compensation are professional, appropriate and made through fair and sound procedures.”

Prior TaxProf Blog coverage:

• University of Texas Law School Dean Resigns Immediately in Wake of Faculty Division Over Compensation (Dec. 9, 2011)
• University of Texas Chancellor Orders Review of Use of Foundation Funds to Pay 19 Law Faculty Over $300,000 (Dec. 12, 2011)
• Leiter on the Turmoil at the University of Texas School of Law (Dec.13, 2011)
• More on the Turmoil at the University of Texas School of Law (Dec. 16, 2011)
• Dean Sager's $4.65 Million in Forgivable Loans to Law Profs 'Ripped Apart' Texas Faculty (Feb. 21, 2012)
• National Jurist: Dean Sager's $4.65 Million in Forgivable Loans to Law Profs 'Ripped Apart' Texas Faculty (Nov. 12, 2012)
• Report Blasts $4.65 Million in Forgivable Loans to Texas Law Profs (Nov. 14, 2012)
• Board of Regents to Investigate $5.5 Million in Forgivable Loans to University of Texas Law Profs (Mar. 21, 2013)
• Former Texas Law School Dean Threatens Lawsuit Against Member of Board of Regents (June 26, 2013)
• Final Report Issued on $5.4 Million Forgivable Loan Program for University of Texas Law Profs (Jan. 18, 2015)
• Linda Mullenix Files Federal Lawsuit Against University Of Texas Law School Alleging Sex Discrimination, Retaliation, And Violation Of Equal Pay Act (Dec. 16, 2019)