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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 2:55 p.m., Thursday, March 19, 2009

Binghamton AD officials accused of sex misconduct

Associated Press

VESTAL, N.Y. — A Binghamton University fundraiser has accused two senior athletic department officials of "egregious acts of sexual misconduct," saying they encouraged donors as the donors were offering her money for sex.

Elizabeth Williams filed a complaint Tuesday with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission naming Jason Siegel, Binghamton's senior associate athletic director, and Chris Lewis, its assistant athletic director for development, said her attorney, James A. Gregory.

Williams alleges that during a dinner, the two school officials encouraged several donors as the donors offered her money for sex, discussed her chest size and suggested she work as a topless waitress at an event.

She says that one of her superiors at the university told her, "You were not hired to have an opinion, but to look good and flirt with donors." And Williams says the university reassigned her to her home and told her not to appear at university athletic events.

Siegel, who was with the Binghamton men's basketball team at the NCAA tournament in Greensboro, N.C., has denied wrongdoing. A phone call Thursday to Lewis' home seeking comment went unanswered.

Williams refused to comment when contacted Wednesday by The Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin. Gregory told The Associated Press on Thursday that she would not be available.

Human resources director Joseph Schultz said in a statement that the university had not received the EEOC complaint and had not been "advised that one is in progress regarding this matter."

In the complaint, Williams says she brought her complaint to school officials and was told at a Feb. 19 meeting that the university would investigate. She says the university followed up and told her the investigation was not complete and that any possible disciplinary measures could be years away.

Michael McGoff, vice president for administration at the university, confirmed the school was investigating.