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Former Wash U Student Files Suit Against School Alleging Sexual Harassment by Professor

Professor Tom Huck is an internationally renowned artist whose work is on display at museums and collections including the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, the Saint Louis Art Museum and the New York Public Library.

Former Washington University graduate student (MFA) Jessica Richardson filed suit against the school in St. Louis County on Dec. 8 alleging sexual harassment by former printmaking instructor and professor Tom Huck.

Huck’s large-scale woodcuts are featured in numerous nationally prominent private and public collections. He also has a gallery, Evil Prints, in St. Louis and served as an instructor at the university from 2000 to 2010.

Former St. Louis Cardinals great Ted Simmons has one of the largest private collections of Huck’s work. Huck also designed the cover to The Roots' 2002 album, Phrenology.

In September 2010, Washington University filed a lawsuit in Cole County against the Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR) asking the court to issue a writ of prohibition against the MCHR, forbidding it to investigate Richardson’s charge of discrimination or issue to her a right to sue letter. The court in Cole County has not issued a final order in that case.

Richardson alleges in St. Louis County court documents that in January 2009 the university assigned Professor Tom Huck to be her advisor.

She further alleges that Huck insisted Richardson make blood and guts among the subjects of her work and that it should include rape, assault and violence against women. She alleges that Huck directed her to put big silicone, human-like breasts on depictions of animals and make “bloody pentagrams” a part of her work, along with other sexually suggestive and violent subjects.

When she told Huck that this was difficult subject matter for her because of prior emotional distress she had suffered, Richardson alleges, Huck told her she should “work it out” in her art.

Richardson alleges that when she told Huck that her doctor advised her that this wasn’t good for her that he replied by using an expletive, became verbally abusive and adopted the term “white trash” as Richardson’s nickname.

When Huck asked Richardson for her help selling his art at an art fair she alleges that Huck told her that he needed a “hot blonde” to sell his work and told Richardson that she needed to “get out there and use her sex appeal” to sell his work, the documents claim.

When Huck found out that Richardson was getting married, she alleges, he repeatedly told her that she should not get married and started to avoid their scheduled adviser meetings.

In November 2009, Richardson alleges, she reported Huck’s behavior to Patricia Olynyk, director of the graduate program at the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts, complaining that Huck’s actions were having an adverse affect on her mental health.

Richardson alleges that Olynyk took no action regarding the reports she made concerning Huck’s behavior and that in December 2009, Huck canceled her end-of-semester review and rescheduled without informing Richardson of the new date and time. When she did not appear for the review, Richardson was informed that she had been expelled from the program.

In January 2010, Richardson claims that she went to see Carmon Colangelo, dean of the design school, to report the behavior and continuing course of conduct of Huck and Olynyk. She alleges that Colangelo admitted to her that this was not the first time this had happened and that what Huck had done was unacceptable.

Colangelo allegedly arranged for Richardson to continue with the program and granted her credit for the fall 2009 semester.

After hearing that she had contacted the dean, Richardson claims, Olynyk placed her on academic probation for the spring 2010 semester and appointed new advisers for her.

Then on May 8, 2010—less than two weeks before graduation—Richardson alleges that Olynyk informed her she was not going to do Richardson’s final review and that she would not be allowed to graduate because she needed to complete additional work in the studio.

Richardson alleges she incurred more than $100,000 in student loans and has lost job opportunities as a result of Washington University not awarding her a degree.

Mary Anne Sedey of Sedey Harper is representing Richardson and declined to comment citing pending litigation. Attempts to reach Washington University General Counsel Michael Cannon for comment were unsuccessful as of Sunday evening.

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