From Doe v. Univ. of Penn., decided today by Judge Cynthia Rufe (E.D. Pa.):
At all times relevant to this action, Plaintiff was a student in Penn's Pre-Med Post- Baccalaureate Program …. Plaintiff began the Program in May 2020, and had planned to apply to medical school upon its completion in Spring 2021. Plaintiff asserts that Professor Simon Tong created a discriminatory environment in her chemistry lab class by making the course "more difficult for Plaintiff," who was the only South Asian female in the class. Plaintiff avers that Professor Tong "would not grant Plaintiff's [request for an] extension … due to her race, [but] granted an extension to the class when other, non-minority, students joined in the request." …
Plaintiff avers that towards the end of the Program, her classmate H.B. emailed her questions regarding a final lab report that each student was required to complete ("the Lab Report"). Plaintiff alleges that H.B. sent this email on behalf of A.R., another classmate who had initially asked H.B. the same questions. Plaintiff replied to H.B.'s email the same day, answering the questions and attaching a copy of her completed Lab Report. H.B. then forwarded Plaintiff's Lab Report to A.R., and A.R. used Plaintiff's Lab Report to complete her own.
On May 12, 2021, Plaintiff received notice from the Office of Student Conduct stating that Plaintiff had been accused of violating Penn's Academic Integrity Code by producing a Lab Report substantially similar to that of A.R. On June 7, 2021, Plaintiff submitted a bias incident report to Penn, stating that only Plaintiff and A.R.—two minority female students—had been accused of cheating, while H.B.—a Caucasian male student—had not. Plaintiff then met with the Vice Provost and the Director of the Women's Center at Penn and informed them of Professor Tong's alleged discriminatory conduct. Plaintiff avers that Penn failed to adequately follow up with Plaintiff after this meeting.
