Former Fullerton Coach Awarded $1.35 Million

Jim Huffman’s two-year legal battle with Cal State Fullerton paid off Tuesday when an Orange County Superior Court jury awarded $1.35 million to the former Titan women’s volleyball coach in his wrongful-termination suit against the university.

Huffman’s teams were 25-80 during his three years as Fullerton coach in 1989-91, but he improved to 2-0 in lawsuits against the school.

His suit in February of 1992 successfully blocked Fullerton’s attempt to drop volleyball on grounds that the move would violate state sex-discrimination laws. Huffman claimed that his firing on March 23, 1992, was in retaliation for speaking out against the school’s record on gender equity and initiating legal proceedings.

“I hope this case sends a clear message to coaches all across the U.S. that they can stand up for gender equity, for women’s rights,” said Kirk Boyd, one of Huffman’s attorneys. “And if they suffer any retribution for doing so, then they’ll be compensated.”

The $1.35-million award--$350,366 in economic damages and $1 million in non-economic damages--could grow today when the 10-woman, two-man jury reconvenes to determine punitive damages. Huffman is eligible for such additional damages because jurors determined that Bill Shumard, Fullerton’s athletic director, had acted with fraud, malice or oppression in the termination.

Shumard, a defendant along with Milton Gordon, university president; Jack Bedell, the school’s vice president for academic affairs; Barry Munitz, Cal State University chancellor, and the CSU Board of Trustees bore the brunt of the verdict.

Shumard was the only defendant found guilty of the most serious offenses in the case--acting with malice, and interfering with Huffman’s state civil rights, through threats, intimidation or coercion.