COLUMBIA, S.C. — The University of South Carolina (USC) has resolved a sexual harassment case against a former professor and has agreed to implement Title IX changes as part of the settlement.
Former student Mary Elizabeth Johns filed the lawsuit against USC, former USC President Harris Pastides, and former history professor David Snyder, alleging Snyder groomed, sexually harassed, and abused her from 2018 to 2020 while she was an undergraduate student, The State reports. Johns claims he exploited her post-traumatic stress disorder that she developed after caring for family members who were suffering from cancer.
“Snyder coaxed Johns to his house under the guise of being a mentor to talk about her grief,” the lawsuit said. “After multiple visits to Snyder’s house … Snyder tried to touch and kiss [Johns].”
Johns reported Snyder to a counselor associated with USC but the counselor did not tell her about the school’s Title IX policy or her option to file a formal complaint against Snyder, the lawsuit says. Johns accused the university and the counselor of being negligent in supervising Snyder.
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In response to the suit, USC removed Snyder from all on-campus activities and responsibilities. He was also instructed to have no contact with students or return to campus without permission from his supervisor. Snyder is no longer employed by the university.
USC has agreed to settle the lawsuit for $150,000 using money from South Carolina’s Insurance Reserve Fund, according to The Post and Courier. It has also agreed to implement policies to “comprehensive policies aimed at preventing and addressing abuse of power and sexual misconduct by faculty and staff,” Johns wrote in a Dec. 11 press release. The new policies include enhanced disciplinary measures for offending professors, enhanced training, clearer reporting procedures, and stronger safeguards to ensure accountability in cases of abuse.
2 Other USC Sexual Harassment Lawsuits Settled This Year
The settlement in Johns’ case comes months after USC resolved two sexual harassment lawsuits involving former art professor David Voros.
In May 2024, the university agreed to pay a total of $280,000 to plaintiffs Pamela Bowers and Jaime Misenheimer, both of whom were Voros’ former co-workers. Misenheimer accused Voros of luring her into a dark closet in the visual arts building in Feb. 2017 and making sexual advances. Voros allegedly retaliated by giving her poor performance reviews and preventing her from teaching classes.
The lawsuit also alleged several students told Misenheimer in 2017 that Voros made them uncomfortable. Misenheimer subsequently filed an official complaint on behalf of a graduate student in April 2017, and Voros allegedly responded by intimidating her in her classroom while she was teaching. Misenheimer resigned from her job in May 2019.
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Bowers, who is also Voros’ ex-wife, accused Voros of making “unwelcome physical and sexual advances” towards her in her campus office after they separated in 2016. Bowers said the separation was partially due to Voros having “one or more” sexual relationships with students or former students.
A previous lawsuit filed against Voros in 2018 by former student Allison Duvanant was settled for $75,000. Duvanant accused Voros of making sexual advances and subjecting her to manual labor and poor living conditions during a study abroad trip in Italy.
