Judge Awards Trial in Wrongful Termination Suit Involving Fired Female Athletic Director

By Russell C. Garner Dianthia Ford-Kee was appointed as Mississippi Valley State University’s (MVSU) Athletic Director on November 18, 2013, and was the first woman appointed to the role in the University’s history. Of note, Ford-Kee's hiring was not contractual, but rather that of an at-will employee of MVSU. Prior to her appointment, the University’s athletic department had a history of NCAA noncompliance issues as well as a history of losing. However, during her nine-year tenure, the