Iowa State settles with assistant to resigned vice president

AMES — The executive assistant to Iowa State University’s senior vice president for operations and finance — a recently-hired top administrator who left in December after signing a $124,000 separation agreement — has agreed to settle harassment and retaliation allegations for the same amount.

Per a settlement finalized May 17, ISU administrative assistant Caitlynn Miller has agreed to release the university and not sue for any claims arising from her ISU employment — including any related to state and federal laws governing age discrimination, Americans with disabilities, equal pay, and civil rights.

Miller, now serving as assistant to Interim Senior Vice President for Operations and Finance Heather Paris, will keep her job — according to the settlement, reporting “nothing in this agreement alters the terms and conditions of her current employment.”

ISU officials declined to answer questions about whether Miller’s $124,000 settlement is related to her former boss’ $124,000 separation agreement in December.

Upon signing that, Shawn Norman — less than a year after his Jan. 1, 2023 start — resigned his vice presidential post under opaque circumstances. His $124,000 “separation payment,” made before Jan. 15, also came with a covenant not to sue.

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When reached by phone Wednesday, Norman declined to comment for the story.

Both agreements stipulate that they don’t constitute an admission of wrongdoing on the part of anyone involved.

And while Iowa State paid Norman all at once, it’s paying Miller gradually over a period of installments through April 1, 2027 — so long as she annually renews her promise not to sue.

Her first payment of $61,000 will be made within the next 30 days. The second, third, and fourth installments of $21,000 each will be paid out in 2025, 2026, and 2027 after she signs in each of those years a “renewed release and covenant.”

Each, should Miller sign them, commit that she hasn’t over the year “experienced any discrimination, harassment, or retaliation arising out of or related to her employment with the university that she has not already disclosed to the university.”

The agreement also commits Miller to request that “any pending charges she has filed be dismissed.”

Miller started working at Iowa State as an administrative assistant in July 2022. Norman started Jan. 1, 2023 and resigned Dec. 1.

With Paris taking over Norman’s vice presidential post on an interim basis, the university in April officially launched a national search for a permanent replacement — naming a seven-member committee aided by the Academic Search firm.

Iowa State, according to its search timeline, aims to make a hire before the start of the fall 2024 semester.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com