UMass-Amherst Ombuds Comments on Student's Lawsuit

A federal court has thrown out a 15-count lawsuit filed by a student against the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Brian Marquis had argued that his "A-" in political philosophy, was reduced to a "C" because of the class curve. Although District Court Judge Michael A. Ponsor dismissed the suit, Marquis said he is considering an appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Catharine Porter, the UMass-Amherst ombudsman and a defendant in the suit, said that Marquis's complaint was the only one she was aware of over a disputed grade in 30 years at the university. "If every student that didn't like his or her grade started to do this, we'd have to hire, I don't know, 25,000 attorneys," Porter said. (Boston Globe.)