Student, professor reach settlement in Indiana County

A doctoral student reached a settlement with his dissertation committee chairwoman at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and other educators he claimed derailed his degree pursuit after he rejected the chairwoman's sexual advances.

Shane Sandridge, 34, filed a federal lawsuit last summer against his doctoral supervisor, Jennifer L. Gossett, the chairwoman of the graduate criminology department and the dean of the college of health and human services at IUP.

The lawsuit noted Gossett has written published articles about consensual relationships between faculty and students, including "Love or the Lecherous Professor" and "Consensual Relationships in Academia."

Chief U.S. District Judge Donetta Ambrose signed an order last month closing the case, although parties were required to complete an unspecified "payment of settlement proceeds." A stipulation of the case's dismissal is due to the court by late January.

Sandridge claimed his education slowed to a standstill because Gossett, 38, "was deliberately trying to punish" him. He claimed his dissertation committee members advised him in June 2006 they would not allow him to proceed toward finalizing the project.

Sandridge's attorney, Edward Olds of Pittsburgh, has said the purpose of the lawsuit was to have IUP allow Sandridge to re-enter the doctorate program.

Olds did not return a message Thursday.