UNI employee alleges age discrimination in lawsuit after demotion

A University of Northern Iowa employee is suing the institution after she was demoted from an assistant vice president position, alleging discrimination against her age that led to her taking a pay cut as well as her title and some duties being handed off to younger coworkers.

Shelley O’Connell, former UNI assistant vice president and executive director of Student Health and Well Being and current assistant to the vice president, filed suit against the university and the Iowa Board of Regents June 2 and requested a trial by jury. According to court filings, she is seeking funds “in an amount which will fully and fairly compensate her for her injuries and damages” like emotional stress, lost wages and more.

“As a proximate result of Defendants’ actions … Shelley O’Connell has in the past and will in the future suffer mental and emotional harm, anguish, humiliation, embarrassment, loss of dignity, lost wages and benefits, loss of professional career, and lost earning capacity,” the court filing stated.

The 59-year-old started working at UNI in 2001 as an administrative assistant, the filing stated, and according to her LinkedIn profile, O’Connell earned a master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from the institution in 2007.

She moved into the assistant vice president position in 2022. In her time in the role, the court filing stated O’Connell received positive performance evaluations and received an award for her “outstanding dedication and service.”

In August 2023, O’Connell had a meeting with her then-supervisor Heather Harbach, the university’s vice president for student life, according to the filing, during which Harbach asked O’Connell if she had any plans of stepping down or moving out of a role supervising staff. These questions were “motivated by (O’Connell’s) age,” the filing stated, to which O’Connell replied she had no interest in retiring or stepping away.

This exchange led to distance between the coworkers, according to the filing, and O’Connell brought her concerns to the university’s Title IX office, saying she felt Harbach was trying to make her vacate her position based on her age.

“Shelley remained committed to her job and providing the best service to the University that she possibly could,” the filing stated.

Harbach informed Shelley of her demotion in April 2024,  according to the filing, providing the new title and saying her duties specific to her previous role were being transferred to Allyson Rafanello and Nick Rafanello, a married couple.

The employees Shelley oversaw were transitioned to work under one of the new assistant vice presidents, and Shelley’s pay was reduced by more than $50,000. Allyson Rafanello received an around-$50,000 pay increase for the new duties, the filing stated.

In addition to holding the assistant vice president title, Allyson Rafanello is the dean of students and Nick Rafanello is the executive director of university housing and dining.

“Shelley will have to work longer than she had anticipated because her wages were slashed by more than $50,000 per year, thereby delaying her ability to retire,” the filing stated.

The plaintiff also had 15 more years of experience at UNI than the new assistant vice presidents, according to the filing, and decades of experience in health care and public health. One of her previous duties was overseeing all university medical facilities, which was transferred to the Rafanellos after her demotion.

UNI, and the board of regents, committed age discrimination by setting higher standards for O’Connell than her peers, the filing stated, as well as not treating her equally to younger employees, allowing discrimination from her supervisor, demoting her and offering less pay.

UNI spokesperson Pete Moris said the university “does not comment on pending legal matters.” The university must provide an answer to the petition within 20 days of its filing to the Polk County courthouse.