Lola Dodge was appointed senior research associate in the Office of Institutional Research in 1987 to maintain the data and analyses necessary to support the affirmative action effort. Camille Hazeur was appointed at the same time to serve as affirmative action coordinator, replacing Denise Harvey. Vice Chancellor Homer Fisher reorganized the affirmative action function, elevating Dodge to director of affirmation action compliance and changing Hazeur’s title to director of affirmative action activities. During the period she served as director of affirmative action compliance, Dodge pursued and obtained a doctorate in political science from UT Knoxville.
Ray Hamilton, who succeeded Fisher in becoming vice chancellor for business and finance, appointed Dodge to the position of executive director of Human Resources without a search following the retirement of Associate Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance and Director of Personnel Edward K. Bennett. On November 1, 1995, Dodge and Hamilton met with four members of the Human Resources Department to inform them that, in accord with a plan for reorganization and saving of administrative costs developed by Dodge and approved by Hamilton with concurrence from Chancellor Snyder, three long-time assistant directors, Therese Leadbetter, Michael Herbstritt, and Linda Burton Francisco were being laid off and should clear their offices by 5:00 p.m.
The three met with Hamilton to appeal the decision, at which time he told them he did not expect to change his mind. The three were prepared to appeal to higher authorities. Several groups on campus, including the Faculty Senate and the Commission for Women, issued statements of concern, and students began a petition for reinstatement.
On Friday, November 3 Vice Chancellor Hamilton issued a statement saying that the employees had been reinstated, that Lola Dodge had been assigned to other duties at UT for a limited duration, and that Executive Director of Business Services Joe Fornes would serve as the temporary human resources director until a national search for a head of human resources could be held. The reporting structure for human resources was changed from the vice chancellor of business and finance to the chancellor as well.
Chancellor Snyder subsequently reported to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee that appointing an executive director without a search had been wrong, and that Dodge had been assigned an office in the Claxton Education Building and was working on the development of a disabilities handbook for the campus on a six-month appointment. Dodge subsequently filed suit, claiming in part that her termination and not that of the men who had approved and supported her reorganization plan constituted sex discrimination. A settlement was reached in which Dodge received compensation and assurance that her leaving would not be recorded as being fired.