The C.W. Park USC Lawsuit revolves around Mr. Choong Whan Park from USC. The accusations were made by a former student against Mr. Park and the University of Southern California (USC). This case has gained much attention because it affects academic freedom, tenure, and employment law in higher education.
This lawsuit is important because it shows potential problems in how universities are run and how students are treated. The result could make rules that affect colleges all over the country.
C.W. Park is a well-known professor who worked at USC for a long time. His contributions to his field and the academic community make the accusations and lawsuits important to the public.
What is the C.W. Park USC Lawsuit About?
A former student at the University of Southern California (USC) has sued Choong Whan Park, a tenured professor at the Marshall School of Business. The lawsuit claims Park sexually assaulted her over three years.
Park retired after the spring 2021 semester. The case raises serious concerns about how universities handle reports of sexual misconduct.
Background of C. Whan Park USC
Starting at USC in 1997 as a marketing professor, Park later became the director of the Global Branding Center in 2001. He was an important figure at USC. However, now USC is named in the lawsuit too.
They are accused of treating people unfairly. The lawsuit claims, “USC knew Park was bothering female Korean student assistants.”
USC denies these claims. They said in their response on June 16 that the university “did not do the things the lawsuit says they did for bad reasons.”
| Career and Teaching Details | Details |
|---|---|
| Retirement Status | Park retired at the end of the spring 2021 semester |
| Teaching Timeline | Last taught summer 2020, focusing on graduate-level courses |
| Faculty Profile | Park’s profile remains on USC’s website despite retirement status |
USC and Choong Whan Park Response over Allegations
A spokesperson for CW Park USC didn’t say much more because the case is private. A spokesperson for the Marshall School called it “a legal matter that is still going on.”
Park and his legal team have not said anything about the lawsuit. They have not talked to any media about it.
| USC Response | Details |
|---|---|
| Denial of Allegations | USC denies allegations of discrimination and retaliation |
| Comment on Legal Status | USC and Marshall School spokespersons refrain from additional comments |
| Internal Investigation | Investigation initiated by USC’s Office of Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX |
Allegations by Plaintiff Yi Youn Kim
The person suing, Yi Youn Kim, is a Korean American woman who worked for Park from 2016 to 2019. Kim says Park started making advances in the spring of 2017 without her agreement.
She says Park did bad things to her many times when she worked there. These things happened in fall 2017, and fall 2018, and the last time was on April 24, 2019.
| Allegation Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Non-consensual Advances | Alleged incidents from spring 2017 to April 2019 |
| Inappropriate Comments | Examples include “I just can’t control myself around you” |
| Sexual Assault Instances | Reported occurrences in fall 2017, fall 2018, and April 2019 |
| Additional Victims | Three other women reported similar incidents dating back to 2011 |
Cultural Context and Investigation
Park, from Korea, mostly spoke Korean with Kim. He used this to make it hard for her to tell people about what he was doing. Kim told USC’s Office of Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX about Park on October 12, 2020.
They started looking into it. At least three other young Korean women said the same thing about Park. But people don’t know all the details yet.
More Accusations and USC’s Part
The C.W. Park USC Lawsuit says Mr. Park did this a lot. It says he did things to young Korean women who were studying with him. This happened many times from 2011 on. It includes things like touching them without them agreeing and saying things that are about sex.
1. Work and Getting Hired
The lawsuit says that someone who works at Marshall, Ruth Joya, talked to Kim in 2016 about working with Park. This happened without asking Kim first if they could talk to her. Joya has not said anything about this yet.
2. Park’s Job and Stopping
There is no news about Park stopping working at USC. His page is still on the USC website. According to USC’s class plan list, Park taught his last class in the summer. He mostly taught classes for people getting their master’s degrees, like Branding Strategy and Global Marketing.
Laws and School Stuff
Kim also said USC was mean to her because of this in California. She got a notice right away that said she could sue. The case is like another one about the school that happened a while ago.
Public Opinions about USC
People are saying bad things about how USC’s Marshall School does things. Carol Wise, who works there, said the school lets people do bad things to women. Wise’s words make people think about how women are treated at Marshall and other parts of the school.
What Happens Next?
Jane Reilley, Kim’s lawyer, has also worked on another case with USC’s doctor, George Tyndall. She said the school needs to change how it is. People will talk about the lawsuit on September 17 to see what happens next.
This C.W. Park USC Lawsuit is about how people act wrong in schools and how it makes it hard for people to do their work and study.
People Also Ask
The lawsuit involves allegations of sexual assault and harassment against former USC professor Choong Whan Park, filed by Yi Youn Kim, a former student assistant. It also implicates USC for alleged knowledge and inaction regarding the professor’s behavior.
Yi Youn Kim is the plaintiff, accusing Choong Whan Park and USC. Park is a professor at USC’s Marshall School of Business until his retirement in 2021 and is accuse of multiple instances of sexual misconduct. USC is in the lawsuit for allegedly being aware of and not addressing the misconduct.
Kim alleges that Park made non-consensual sexual advances and harassed her repeatedly during her tenure as his student assistant from 2016 to 2019. The incidents reportedly included inappropriate comments and physical assaults.
USC has denied the allegations of discrimination and retaliation mentioned in the lawsuit. They have stated that the university did not engage in discriminatory actions as alleged in the complaint. USC officials have declined further comment due to the ongoing legal nature of the case.
Despite the lawsuit, Park’s faculty profile remains on USC’s website. He taught his last class in the summer of 2020 and retired at the end of that academic year.
Parties involved in the lawsuit are scheduled to meet with a judge on September 17 to discuss further proceedings and the timeline for the case.