Rossley v. Drake Univ.
Rossley v. Drake Univ.
Opinion of the Court
I. INTRODUCTION
Plaintiff Thomas Rossley, Jr. brings this suit against Defendants Drake University and Drake University Board of Trustees, challenging Defendants' Title IX investigation that concluded Plaintiff sexually assaulted a female student, and contesting Defendants' failure to investigate his own sexual assault allegations. Plaintiff asserts Defendants violated both Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Plaintiff also brings state law claims alleging breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and estoppel.
Defendants move for summary judgment on all of Plaintiff's claims, asserting: 1) Plaintiff has not identified any genuine issues of material fact showing gender was a motivating factor in the disciplinary process; 2) Plaintiff did not request a reasonable accommodation and thus cannot bring an ADA claim; and 3) Plaintiff has not shown Drake violated any promise or contractual provisions contained in its Code of Conduct or Sexual Misconduct Policy. The Court grants Defendants' motion for summary judgment as to Plaintiff's Title IX claim regarding Plaintiff's erroneous outcome and deliberate indifference theories, but denies Defendants' motion for summary judgment on Plaintiff's Title IX claim regarding Plaintiff's selective enforcement theory. The Court grants Defendants' motion for summary judgment as to Plaintiff's Americans with Disabilities Act claim. As for Plaintiff's state law claims, the Court first determines Plaintiff's estoppel and breach of covenant of good faith and fair dealing claims are subsumed by his breach of contract claim. The *909Court denies Defendants' motion for summary judgment on some but not all of Plaintiff's alleged breaches of contract. The Court also dismisses Plaintiff's claim of negligent infliction of emotional distress because Plaintiff does not resist Defendants' motion for summary judgment on this claim.
II. FACTUAL & PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
The following facts are either uncontested or, if contested, viewed in the light most favorable to Plaintiff. See Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp. ,
A. Drake's Code of Conduct & Sexual Misconduct Policy
Two documents govern sexual assault investigations and discipline at Drake: the Code of Student Conduct ("the Code") and the Sexual and Interpersonal Misconduct Policy and Notification of Complainant's Rights ("the Policy"). Defs.' Suppl. App. Supp. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J. at APP. 099-132, 133-51, ECF No. 137. The Code addresses various forms of academic and non-academic misconduct.
"Sexual assault" is defined in the Code and Policy as "an extreme form of sexual misconduct ranging from forcible rape to nonphysical forms of pressure that compel individuals to engage in sexual activity against their will."
In cases of alleged non-academic misconduct, "[a]ny student, student organization, faculty member or staff member may initiate a complaint against a student or student organization ... by contacting the Dean of Students office or Title IX Coordinator in the case of alleged sexual misconduct."
*910Following a report of alleged sexual misconduct, the Dean of Students will conduct an investigation into the complaint.
At the disciplinary hearing, a hearing officer must determine "(1) whether a preponderance of the evidence establishes the accused student engaged in non-academic misconduct; and (2) recommended disciplinary sanction(s), if any."
During the hearing, "[t]he accused, the complainant and the Dean/designee may call witnesses, conduct cross-examination, and may answer any evidence presented by others through rebuttal."
If a respondent is found to be responsible for sexual misconduct, the respondent, complainant, or the Dean of Students may appeal the decision or sanctions in writing.
*911B. Factual Background
Plaintiff is a former student of Defendant Drake University, a private university located in Des Moines, Iowa. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 5-6, ECF No. 46; Pl.'s Resp. Defs.' Statement Undisputed Material Facts ¶¶ 1-2, ECF No. 111-2. Defendant Drake University Board of Trustees is Drake's governing body. ECF No. 46 ¶ 7; ECF No. 111-2 ¶ 2.
In the fall of 2015, Jerry Parker was the acting Dean of Students. ECF No. 111-2 ¶ 3; Defs.' App. Supp. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J. at APP. 041, Parker Dep. 14:1-22, ECF No. 103. In the spring of 2016, Parker was the Associate Dean of Students, acting as the Dean's designee for the disciplinary proceeding against Plaintiff.
1. Plaintiff's Disabilities
Plaintiff suffers from a mild form of dyslexia, ADHD, and word-retrieval issues. Defs.' Resp. Pl.'s Statement Material Facts ¶ 1, ECF No. 133; see Pl.'s Dep. 129:1-9, 172:20-173:4, ECF No. 103 at APP. 009, APP. 014-15; Pl.'s Sealed App. Supp. Pl.'s Resp. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J. at APP. 775-76, Hr'g Tr. 218:17-219:12, ECF No. 118-8. Due to his disabilities, Plaintiff regularly requested and received academic accommodations through Drake's Disability Services. See Pl.'s Dep. 169:16-170:24, ECF No. 103 at APP. 014; Defs.' Br. Supp. Mot. Summ. J. 27-28, ECF No. 104. Although Plaintiff was generally awarded "time and a half" for exams, the accommodations he requested and utilized "varie[d] class to class." Pl.'s Dep. 170:6-14, ECF No. 103 at APP. 014. In order to secure accommodations, Plaintiff met with each professor individually to determine what accommodations were necessary. Pl.'s Dep. 169:23-170:5, ECF No. 103 at APP. 014. Due to his word-retrieval disability, Plaintiff was often permitted to refer to written notes during oral presentations rather than doing the presentations by memory. Pl.'s Dep. 171:2-15, ECF No. 103 at APP. 014.
1. The Report & Investigation
On the morning of October 9, 2015, Jane Doe, a female Drake student, contacted Drake Public Safety reporting she had been sexually assaulted by Plaintiff. See App. Supp. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J. at APP. 155, ECF No. 103-1 (noting in Drake University Public Safety Report "Incident Discovered/Called In" at 10:21 a.m. on October 9, 2015). Jane Doe explained the previous night she had consumed a large amount of alcohol and had accompanied Plaintiff, who she considered a friend, to his fraternity house, Theta Chi.
The same day Jane Doe filed her report with Drake University Public Safety, the Dean of Students' Office sent Plaintiff an email with a letter informing him about the complaint. ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 152-53. The letter provided Jane Doe's name and noted the section of the Code of Conduct the complaint was filed under.
At the time Jane Doe filed her complaint, Parker was ill and thus could not conduct the investigation himself. Overberg Dep. 65:25-66:6, ECF No. 103 at APP. 027-28; Parker Dep. 39:5-24, ECF No. 103 at APP. 042. Consequently, Drake hired an outside investigator, Mary Howell Sirna, to serve as the lead investigator. Parker Dep. 39:14-24, ECF No. 103 at APP. 042; ECF No. 111-2 ¶ 041. At the time she was appointed to investigate Jane Doe's complaint, Sirna was serving as Iowa State University's interim Title IX coordinator. Sirna Dep. 9:12-10:5, ECF No. 103 at APP. 054-55. Prior to working at Iowa State University, Sirna served as a prosecutor for thirteen years and prosecuted crimes of sexual violence. Sirna Dep. 8:14-23, ECF No. 103 at APP. 054; ECF No. 111-2 ¶ 42. She had received training on handling student complaints of sexual assault. Sirna Dep. 18:2-21:24, ECF No. 103 at APP. 056. Sirna was paired with Tricia McKinney, Drake's Assistant Director of Public Safety, to conduct the investigation. McKinney had also received training on how to handle sexual assault complaints. See McKinney Dep. 14:16-15:16, ECF No. 103 at APP. 097.
According to the investigative report Sirna and McKinney produced, on October 14, 2015, Parker met with Plaintiff to discuss Jane Doe's complaint and the investigative process. ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 185. Parker discussed "internal and external resources" available to Plaintiff, Jane Doe's ability to bring criminal charges, and Plaintiff's right to "have a personal representative of his choosing to attend any and all meetings throughout the disciplinary process."
On October 23, 2015, Sirna and McKinney interviewed Jane Doe.
*913Although Jane Doe could not remember the exact number of drinks she had consumed, "[s]he described herself as getting tired and noticing she was stumbling." ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 189. Following the house party, Jane Doe went to Peggy's Tavern, a nearby bar, with Witness C, Student O, and Witness E.
After Peggy's Tavern, Jane Doe went to Drake Bakery Café and Bar, a nearby restaurant, where she first interacted with Plaintiff.
Jane Doe stated she then recalled getting into the backseat of a car and telling Plaintiff to take her home because she was drunk.
Jane Doe told investigators she recalled vomiting in the second floor bathroom after she entered Theta Chi.
Jane Doe told investigators after she had vomited in the bathroom, she was "fairly certain [she] passed out" due to alcohol consumption.
Jane Doe explained that after exiting Plaintiff's room and entering the bathroom, Jane Doe texted Witness I asking if she could sleep on his couch.
After returning to her apartment, Jane Doe told investigators, she requested Student M, Witness C, and Student Q come to her apartment in order to recreate the events of the previous night. ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 191. After discussing the evening with them, Jane Doe contacted Drake Public Safety and filed a report against Plaintiff.
On October 23, 2015, investigators interviewed Plaintiff. Plaintiff did not bring a personal representative and later stated he had not finished reading the email he was sent regarding Jane Doe's complaint, which stated he could do so. See Pl.'s Dep. 176:23-177:14, ECF No. 103 at APP. 015-16. During the interview, Plaintiff explained he was friends with Jane Doe and they texted each other, but they had not "hung out one-on-one." ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 192-93. Plaintiff reported on the night of October 8, 2015, he had an assignment due.
Plaintiff explained, following the drinking game, he and his friends went to Drake Bakery, where he had additional drinks.
Plaintiff told investigators he recalled going to his room with Jane Doe after *916arriving at Theta Chi.
Plaintiff stated he next recalled Jane Doe performing oral sex on him in his car, which was parked outside the Theta Chi house.
Plaintiff's last memory involving Jane Doe was waking up and finding Jane Doe standing on a chair next to Plaintiff's loft bed.
The investigators also interviewed Plaintiff's roommate, Witness J, who was present in his dorm room during the alleged assault. Both Witness G and Witness H described Witness J as being intoxicated the night of October 8, 2015. See
*917The investigators interviewed Witness J a second time because they believed "Witness J was being less than forthcoming." Id. at APP 215. Witness J reiterated what he had previously said. See id. at APP. 215-16.
The investigators also interviewed Witness K, a member of Theta Chi. Id. at APP 217. Witness K explained that, on the morning of October 9, 2015, Student T was making fun of Plaintiff for leaving Drake Bakery with a girl. Id. Plaintiff then admitted to "hooking up" with the girl and explained he had "wasted a condom because he couldn't cum." Id.
Following his interview with Sirna and McKinney, Plaintiff requested a meeting with Parker and Overberg in November 2015. Overberg Dep. 62:15-24, ECF No. 103 at APP. 027. During that meeting, Plaintiff explained that a friend had told him that since he could not remember part of the evening of October 8, 2015, and because Jane Doe had performed oral sex on him, perhaps he was a victim as well. Overberg Dep. 63:6-12, ECF No. 103 at APP. 027. Overberg stated she was unsure why Plaintiff was telling them this information and wanted to ensure that whatever information he wanted to share would be included in the investigative report. Overberg Dep. 83:18-84:6, ECF No. 103 at APP. 30. In response to Plaintiff's comments, Overberg and Parker set up a second interview with the investigators. Overberg Dep. 85:24-87:8, ECF No. 103 at APP. 030-31. Overberg then emailed Sirna and McKinney, explaining they should ask Plaintiff whether he was "sharing this information in response to the allegations against [him], or [is he] asking that a conduct charge be filed against [Jane Doe] for sexual assault?" Id. at APP. 308. Overberg directed Sirna and McKinney to get the necessary information from Plaintiff if he was requesting that a charge be filed against Jane Doe. Id. Additionally, Overberg explained to Sirna and McKinney that, although it was likely they could perform an investigation into both claims simultaneously, they "would need to be sure the investigation into [Plaintiff's] charge was complete." Id.
On November 10, 2015, McKinney met with Plaintiff in person while Sirna joined them on the phone. Sirna Dep. 134:16-23, ECF No. 103 at APP. 065; id. at APP. 182. Plaintiff explained to the investigators that a female friend of Plaintiff's had suggested he had been sexually assaulted, since Jane Doe had made fun of Plaintiff for not being able to ejaculate and Plaintiff had no memory of such an issue. Id. at APP. 220; see Sirna Dep. 134:1-11, ECF No. 103 at APP. 065. Sirna asked whether there was any additional information or witnesses he wanted to provide at that time concerning his statement, and he responded "I don't think so." Id. at APP. 182, 220. When asked whether he wanted to file a complaint against Jane Doe, he stated he did not want to file a conduct charge at the time and said: "I'm just verbalizing the issue." Sirna Dep. 135:5-13, ECF No. 103 at APP. 065; id. at APP. 182-83. Sirna asked if Plaintiff needed any additional resources, Plaintiff explained he was fine. Id. at APP. 183. Plaintiff later stated he had told the investigators he was not that bothered by the investigation because "it took me months to be able to admit that I was a victim." Pl.'s Dep. 181:4-11, ECF No. 103 at APP. 017. Plaintiff's father, Thomas Rossley, Sr., stated in a declaration that during a phone call with Parker, Parker stated the school would not investigate Plaintiff's alleged assault because it was a form of retaliation. Pl.'s Sealed App. Supp. Pl.'s Resp. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J. at APP. 1179-80, Rossley, Sr. Decl. ¶ 10, ECF No. 118-13. Plaintiff stated his father told him about this meeting and Parker's belief regarding retaliation. Pl.'s Dep. 153:23-154:5, ECF No. 103 at APP. 012.
*918On December 9, 2015, Sirna submitted the investigative report to Parker. Id. at APP. 184. In the course of their investigation, the investigators interviewed twelve witnesses, including Plaintiff and Jane Doe. Id. Sirna listed nine other students they had not interviewed and briefly explained why they had not been questioned. Id. at APP. 186-87. For instance, Sirna explained Student P, who Jane Doe had jumped on after leaving Theta Chi, had a "limited interaction with [Jane Doe]." Id. at APP. 187. Similarly, Student T, who was present during the conversation between Plaintiff and Witness K in which Plaintiff is reported to have said he wasted a condom, "would [have] provided duplicative statements." Id. at APP. 186. The investigators also did not interview Student N, Jane Doe's ex-boyfriend, because Jane Doe had asked them not to contact him and he had not been present that evening. Id. at APP. 187.
Sirna ultimately determined there was a preponderance of evidence suggesting a sex act had occurred and the act was not consensual, because Jane Doe was either unconscious or incapacitated. Id. at APP. 221-22. Sirna based this determination largely on six facts: 1) there were no eye witnesses and Witness J, Plaintiff's roommate who was reportedly in the room during the alleged assault, had limited credibility because there were inconsistent reports about whether he was drinking that evening; 2) Plaintiff's claims regarding his lack of memory were "contradicted by [his] own words to Witness K ... when he ... stated he 'wasted a condom because he couldn't cum' "; 3) although both parties were drinking that evening, multiple witnesses corroborated Jane Doe's "impairment and eventual incapacitation"; 4) neither Witness I nor Jane Doe stated that Jane Doe had complained that Plaintiff had been unable to "cum"; 5) if Jane Doe had made such a comment, "it was likely she was merely repeating what [Plaintiff] had told her when she regained consciousness during the assault"-namely, that he had "whiskey dick"; and 6) there was little evidence that Plaintiff was incapacitated, as the witnesses indicated either they had not formed an opinion about his level of intoxication or he wasn't as drunk as Jane Doe. Id. at APP. 222-24. In the conclusion section, Sirna noted Jane Doe was largely credible because Jane Doe had made statements to investigators "against her own interest," including an admission she had doubted herself at Mercy Hospital and had engaged in sexual activity with Witness I following the assault. Id. at APP. 225. Sirna's report mentions Plaintiff thought he might also be a victim during his second interview, but the report does not analyze Plaintiff's complaint nor does it make any findings about these allegations. Id. at APP. 184-225.
2. The Disciplinary Hearing
After reviewing Sirna's report, Parker determined a disciplinary hearing on the matter was warranted. Parker Dep. 73:8-15, ECF No. 103 at APP. 043. Parker emailed Plaintiff in January 2016 to inform him of this decision and discuss the report. Parker Dep. 95:14-96:4, ECF No. 103 at APP. 45.
Jerry Foxhoven was serving as Drake's hearing officer at the time. Parker Dep. 102:7-21, ECF No. 103 at APP. 046. Foxhoven had received training regarding sexual misconduct. Foxhoven Dep. 11:18-12:17, ECF No. 103 at APP. 073. Prior to the hearing, Foxhoven issued a notice to all parties (Jane Doe, Parker, and Plaintiff) and their representatives explaining Foxhoven would not admit "any testimony or evidence of the prior sexual conduct or mental health issues of either" Jane Doe or Plaintiff. ECF No. 137 at APP. 230. Plaintiff's personal representative, Matt Kaiser, filed a motion seeking to admit *919Witness I's statement that Jane Doe performed oral sex on him, arguing the ban on prior sexual conduct did not apply and that Jane Doe's actions were "highly probative of her state of mind on that night and her capacity to consent mere hours earlier." ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 299. Foxhoven permitted Plaintiff to introduce evidence regarding Jane Doe's subsequent actions with Witness I to show Jane Doe's level of intoxication and thus her ability to consent. ECF No. 137 at APP 231.
Additionally, Foxhoven considered how much time each party (Jane Doe, Parker, and Plaintiff) should have to present their arguments during the hearing. See ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 294. Foxhoven first gave each party equal time to make closing and opening arguments. Id. After considering Plaintiff's pre-hearing motion, Foxhoven determined both Jane Doe and Parker would each have five minutes for an opening statement and ten minutes for a closing, while Plaintiff was given ten minutes for an opening statement and up to twenty minutes for a closing statement. Id. at APP. 234. After Parker argued Title IX requires all parties to be treated equally, however, Foxhoven amended his earlier decision. Id. at APP. 227. Under the amended order, Plaintiff and Jane Doe would both have five minutes for opening argument and ten minutes for closing argument. Id. Parker was given five minutes for both his closing and opening statements, although his argument was limited to "any position that is inconsistent with the position of [Jane Doe]." Id.
The disciplinary hearing was held on February 12, 2016. ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 236. After Jane Doe's personal representative gave her opening statement, Parker stated during his opening statement that, based on all the evidence available to the Dean of Students' Office, the Office "found [Jane Doe]'s account of this incident as being more credible" and thus recommended "the appropriate sanction be expulsion." Pl.'s Sealed App. Supp. Pl.'s Resp. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J. at APP. 570-71, ECF No. 118-6. During his opening statement, Plaintiff's personal representative explained "the two people who were involved were both blackout drunk." Id. at APP. 571. During a later portion of his opening statement, however, Plaintiff's personal representative argued, based on the timeline of the evening, "[w]e can know that [Jane Doe] was not incapacitated by looking at [the] window of 45 minutes ... incapacitation doesn't turn on a dime." Id. at APP. 575-76. Based on Plaintiff's personal representative's statement that both Plaintiff and Jane Doe were "blackout drunk" during the events of the evening, Foxhoven amended his previous order regarding the admissibility of Jane Doe's actions after she left Plaintiff's room. See id. at APP. 596-98. Foxhoven explained because his order permitting the evidence was premised on the issue of whether Jane Doe was incapacitated and Plaintiff's personal representative's concession that Jane Doe was "blackout drunk" made her incapacitation no longer a contested issue, Jane Doe's subsequent actions were irrelevant. Id. at APP. 596, 597. Thus, Plaintiff was not permitted to inquire into Jane Doe's actions with Witness I or Student P after leaving his room.
Along with Jane Doe and Plaintiff, eleven witnesses testified at the disciplinary hearing. See id. at APP. 559-61. All parties engaged in cross-examination. Id. Per the Code and the Policy, Jane Doe and Plaintiff did not cross-examine each other directly; rather, Foxhoven read questions each party had submitted. See id. at APP. 559, 561; ECF No. 137 at APP. 122. Additionally, Plaintiff's personal representative questioned Plaintiff on direct examination. Pl.'s Sealed App. Supp. Pl.'s Resp. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J., ECF No. 118-8 at APP. 771; see also ECF No. 137 at APP. 121-22.
*920During her testimony, Jane Doe reiterated what she had previously told the investigators about the events of October 8 and 9, 2015. See generally ECF No. 118-6 at APP. 578-611. However, for the first time, Jane Doe also testified that because she often experiences pain when she has vaginal intercourse, she did not believe she would have consented to having vaginal intercourse with Plaintiff. ECF No. 118-6 at APP. 590. Plaintiff's personal representative did not submit a question about the pain Jane Doe experiences during vaginal intercourse for Foxhoven to ask during Jane Doe's cross examination. See id. at APP. 611-22 (transcript showing Foxhoven asked Jane Doe various questions submitted by Plaintiff's personal representative but not about the pain Jane Doe experiences during vaginal intercourse).
Plaintiff called two individuals who had not been interviewed by Sirna: Student S and Student T. Id. at APP. 560. No party called Plaintiff's roommate, Witness J, who had been present in Plaintiff's room that evening. Id. at APP. 559-61. Additionally, no party called Witness K, who had previously reported to investigators that Plaintiff had told Witness K that Plaintiff had wasted a condom on Jane Doe. Id. ; see also ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 217. However, Plaintiff did call Student T, who was also present during that conversation. ECF No. 118-6 at APP. 560. Student T testified that, although Plaintiff confirmed he had "hooked up" with Jane Doe the previous night, he did not remember Plaintiff ever saying he had "wasted a condom" on Jane Doe. ECF No. 118-8 at APP. 751. Plaintiff's personal representative also did not call Student P, the individual Jane Doe jumped on after leaving Plaintiff's room, although Plaintiff's personal representative argued to Foxhoven that investigators should have interviewed Student P in order to establish a timeline for the evening. Id. at APP. 619, 620.
On February 17, 2016, Foxhoven filed his order regarding the case. ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 236-46. Foxhoven determined first "that a preponderance of evidence supports the fact that vaginal intercourse between [Jane Doe] and [Plaintiff] was either attempted or completed on the evening in question .... In any event, it is clear that [Plaintiff] touched the genitals of [Jane Doe] on the evening in question." Id. at APP. 237. Foxhoven also noted no one else appeared to be present in the room during their interaction and "[n]o sexual exam of [Jane Doe] was completed, resulting in a lack of definitive evidence of a sexual assault."Id. Instead, Foxhoven based his determination on the fact that although Jane Doe was "not conscious during the assault," she awoke to Plaintiff "violating" her, "[h]er pants were off," Plaintiff stated he had "whiskey dick," and that when Jane Doe left the fraternity house, "walking was painful in a way that indicated to her that she had been subjected to vaginal sex." Id.
Foxhoven also determined "a preponderance of evidence supports the fact that [Jane Doe] did not give her consent to the sexual contact in question," as she was incapacitated. Id. Foxhoven considered the following facts in making his decision: 1) Jane Doe's testimony that she experiences pain when having vaginal intercourse and thus does not have vaginal intercourse unless she is comfortable and trusts her partner, "[n]one of [which] apply to the relationship between [Jane Doe] and [Plaintiff]"; 2) testimony from Witnesses C, F, A, E, L, H, B, and G as to Jane Doe's level of intoxication; and 3) the argument of "[Plaintiff] and his counsel ... that both [Plaintiff] and [Jane Doe] were 'black out drunk' on the night in question." Id. at 237-40. Foxhoven also noted although Witness H stated upon initial contact with Jane Doe, he was not aware of anything that would have led him to believe Jane *921Doe was intoxicated, "he further testified that he believed that the complainant was extremely intoxicated by the fact that she was vomiting." Id. at APP. 240.
Foxhoven next discussed Plaintiff's position that he was also incapacitated in a section entitled "[Plaintiff]'s Argument of Mitigation." Id. at APP. 241. As to Plaintiff's argument "that he was basically 'blacked-out' and that, therefore, he should not be held responsible for his conduct," Foxhoven determined Plaintiff's account lacked credibility. Id. Rather, Foxhoven concluded although Plaintiff had been drinking that evening, the evidence showed he was "clearly more in control of himself than [Jane Doe]" and was aware of her level of intoxication. Id. Foxhoven based this determination on: 1) statements from Witnesses C and L and Student S regarding Plaintiff's level of intoxication at Drake Bakery and when entering the fraternity house; 2) Witness B's statement that, although Plaintiff was intoxicated that evening, Jane Doe was more intoxicated during the sober cab ride; 3) Witness E's testimony regarding Plaintiff's actions and ability to "pack[ ] a bowl" in the bathroom at Theta Chi while Jane Doe vomited; 4) Witness H's comment that Plaintiff did not seem intoxicated; 5) Witness G's testimony that Plaintiff told him he "had the situation handled" in reference to Jane Doe's vomiting; and 6) Plaintiff's testimony indicating "that he was able to call the 'sober cab' " and had likely punched in the security code to enter the fraternity house, although he stated he did not remember doing so. Id. at APP. 241-43. Foxhoven's findings did not address Plaintiff's complaint that he did not consent to Jane Doe giving him oral sex in the car before his alleged assault of Jane Doe.
Based on his findings, Foxhoven recommended Plaintiff be expelled. Id. at APP. 245. Acknowledging Plaintiff's personal representative's request Plaintiff be permitted to complete his degree, Foxhoven noted, due to Jane Doe's level of intoxication, Plaintiff's knowledge of Jane Doe's intoxication, and the "particularly aggravating factor" that the assault occurred after Jane Doe vomited, Foxhoven recommended expulsion. Id. at APP. 244. Plaintiff was informed about his right to appeal. Id. at APP. 245.
3. Appeals Panel Decision & Expulsion
On February 29, 2016, Plaintiff's personal representative filed a timely notice of appeal. Id. at APP. 248-63. Prior to the appeals hearing, the panel sent all parties a notice explaining the procedure it would follow at the hearing. ECF No. 137 at APP. 266-68. The panel concluded each party would be given twenty minutes to present their argument. Id. at APP. 267. All parties were permitted to reserve five minutes for rebuttal. Id. The panel also noted "each member of the three person appeals panel has no relationship or connection with either [Plaintiff] or [Jane Doe]." Id. at APP. 268.
On March 24, 2016, the hearing was held as scheduled and according to the procedure set forth in the panel's notice. ECF No. 137 at APP. 266-268. After the hearing, the panel affirmed Foxhoven's findings and his recommendation of expulsion. ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 269-70. The panel noted it had reviewed written responses from the parties regarding Plaintiff's appeal, in addition to "all of the exhibits and documents from the hearing as well as the audio recording of the hearing." Id. at APP. 269; see also Peters Dep. 37:5-40:18, ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 310. The panel determined Foxhoven's decision was supported by substantial evidence, explaining: 1) witnesses testified as to Plaintiff's and Jane Doe's differing level of intoxication; and 2) Plaintiff corroborated Jane Doe's testimony that Plaintiff had been using a *922condom during a conversation with his friends the next day. ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 270. The panel affirmed Foxhoven's recommendation of expulsion, noting having sexual intercourse while someone was incapacitated and unable to give consent "is the worst kind of sexual assault." Id.
On April 8, 2016, Parker emailed Plaintiff confirming the panel's decision and explaining that the President of the University, Earl Martin, concurred in the decision. ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 271. Consequently, Plaintiff was officially "expelled from Drake University effective immediately." Id.
C. Procedural Background
On December 1, 2016, Plaintiff filed suit against Defendants, as well as other individually named defendants. Compl., ECF No. 1. Plaintiff's complaint alleged eight counts, asserting Defendants violated: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Count I); the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution (Count II); and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (Count VI). He also brought state law claims based on breach of contract (Count III), breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing (Count IV), negligent infliction of emotional distress (Count V), and estoppel and reliance (Count VII). Finally, Plaintiff sought declaratory relief (Count VIII). On August 2, 2017, Plaintiff filed an Amended Complaint, in which he brought the same substantive claims but no longer filed under a pseudonym. Compare Am. Compl., ECF No. 46, with ECF No. 1. On August 11, 2017, the Court dismissed Plaintiff's constitutional claim, Count II, against all Defendants and dismissed all other Counts against the individually named defendants. Order Defs.' Partial Mot. Dismiss 10, ECF No. 48.
On May 17, 2018, Defendants filed the current motion for summary judgment on all counts. ECF No. 99. Plaintiff resists. ECF No. 111; ECF No. 121. Defendants have replied. ECF No. 135. The matter came before the Court for a hearing on July 20, 2018. Hr'g Mins. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J., ECF No. 143. Attorneys Philip Byler and David Goldman represented Plaintiff. Id. Attorneys Frances Haas and Mary Funk represented Defendants. Id.
III. LEGAL STANDARD
Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(a), the Court must grant a party's motion for summary judgment if there are no genuine issues of material fact in dispute and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett ,
To defeat a motion for summary judgment, the non-moving party "may not rest *923upon the mere allegations or denials of his pleading, but ... must set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial." Anderson , 477 U.S. at 248,
IV. DISCUSSION
The Court first considers Plaintiff's negligent infliction of emotional distress claim (Count V). ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 225-34. Because Plaintiff does not resist Defendants' motion for summary judgment on this claim, see ECF No. 111 ¶ 6, the Court dismisses it. The Court next considers Plaintiff's claim for declaratory judgment (Count VIII). ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 248-52. The Court finds Count VIII does not state an independent basis for relief, but that the remedy of declaratory judgment may be applied to the other claims if applicable.
The Court then turns to Plaintiff's Title IX claim (Count I). Id. ¶¶ 169-88. The Court grants Defendants' motion for summary judgment for Count I under Plaintiff's Title IX erroneous outcome and deliberate indifference theories, but denies Defendants' motion for summary on Plaintiff's Title IX claim under his selective enforcement theory. The Court then analyzes Plaintiff's ADA claim (Count VI), id. ¶¶ 235-40, and grants Defendants' motion summary judgment on that claim. Finally, the Court turns to Plaintiff's state law contract claims (Counts III, IV, and VII). Id. ¶¶ 203-24, 241-47. The Court finds Plaintiff's estoppel and covenant of good faith and fair dealing claims are subsumed by his breach of contract claim. The Court grants summary judgment to Defendants on some, but not all, of Plaintiff's breach of contract claims.
A. Negligent Infliction of Emotional Distress (Count V)
Defendants request summary judgment as to Plaintiff's negligent infliction of emotional distress claim. ECF No. 99 ¶¶ 14-16. Plaintiff does not resist Defendants' motion as to this claim. ECF No. 111 ¶ 6 ("Plaintiff states that he will not proceed further with the claim for negligent infliction of emotional distress."). Consequently, the Court dismisses Count V.
B. Declaratory Judgment (Count VIII)
In Count VIII, Plaintiff asserts an independent count for declaratory judgment. ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 248-52.
*924The Court notes the relief Plaintiff requests in Count VIII references Plaintiff's other substantive claims. See ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 248-49 (referencing Plaintiff's previous counts and requesting declaratory judgment based on his assertion that "Drake has committed numerous violations of the Parties' contracts and of federal and state law"). Furthermore, Plaintiff reiterates these requests in his Prayer for Relief. Id. at 59-60. Consequently, although Count VIII fails to state an independent claim for relief, both Count VIII and Plaintiff's Prayer for Relief identify some permissible remedies for Plaintiff's other substantive counts. Specifically, all of Plaintiff's requested relief, except a declaration that "Drake's Code is unconstitutional as applied" may, if appropriate, be applied to the applicable counts discussed below.
C. Title IX Claims (Count I)
In Count I, Plaintiff brings a claim under Title IX based on his disciplinary proceeding and resulting expulsion as well as Defendants' failure to investigate Plaintiff's complaint of alleged sexual assault by Jane Doe. See ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 180-81, 185.
Title IX claims based on alleged gender discrimination in disciplinary proceedings may be analyzed under the erroneous outcome, deliberate indifference, or selective enforcement theories. See Roe v. St. Louis Univ. ,
1. Erroneous outcome
In order to establish a violation of Title IX under the erroneous outcome theory, a plaintiff must show: 1) evidence illustrating an "articulable doubt" as to the accuracy of the outcome of the proceeding; and 2) particular circumstances showing gender bias was a motivating factor in the erroneous outcome. Doe v. Miami Univ. ,
"As a general rule, Title IX is not an invitation for courts to second-guess disciplinary decisions of colleges or universities." Univ. of St. Thomas ,
In his Response to Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment, Plaintiff identifies various procedural and substantive flaws in the investigation, disciplinary hearing, and appeals process he believes led to an erroneous outcome. ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 101-09, 142-47, 182. Specifically, Plaintiff contends Foxhoven erred by allowing Jane Doe to testify about her medical condition that made it painful for her to engage in vaginal intercourse, information that was not previously disclosed during the investigation, and which Foxhoven then relied on in determining whether Jane Doe had consented to sexual intercourse with Plaintiff. Id. ¶¶ 144-45. Plaintiff likewise asserts there was insufficient medical or physical evidence supporting Jane Doe's claim that sexual intercourse occurred, noting Jane Doe did not get a sexual assault exam and did not provide the underwear she was wearing at the time of the alleged assault as evidence in the investigation. Id. ¶¶ 146-48. Plaintiff also contends Foxhoven erred by allowing Parker to present evidence and argument, arguing Parker was not an "independent actor," as Foxhoven concluded, but instead presented evidence against Plaintiff and sought his expulsion. Id. ¶ 152.
As to the appeals process, Plaintiff first contends Defendants refused to allow Plaintiff's father to present Plaintiff's appeal. ECF No. 46 ¶ 153. Plaintiff additionally asserts the panel never heard the audio recording of the disciplinary hearing "before rendering their short and vague affirmation of guilty against Plaintiff." Id. ¶ 154. Rather, Plaintiff contends the panel was a "rubber stamp" for Foxhoven's findings. ECF No. 121 at 24.
To show the alleged erroneous outcome was motivated by gender bias, Plaintiff asserts Defendants' actions, in general, during the investigation, the disciplinary hearing, and in making the ultimate decision to expel him reveal gender bias because they were taken against the weight of the evidence. ECF No. 121 at 15-24. Plaintiff also specifically contends the investigators, Foxhoven, Parker, and the appeals panel were all biased by the gender-based "trauma trope," which allowed them to explain away Jane Doe's inconsistencies and "counterintuitive" behavior that would otherwise discredit her. Id. at 24-25. Plaintiff also argues the "trauma trope" led Parker to testify that he would consider it "slut shaming" to imply Jane Doe's sexual activity after leaving Plaintiff's room was inconsistent with having been assaulted earlier. Id. at 25.
In addition, Plaintiff contends Drake was "victim centered" against male respondents. Id. at 26. To show that being victim-centered means being gender-biased, Plaintiff points to evidence that most claims of sexual misconduct at Drake were brought by a female complainant against a male respondent. Id. at 26. Plaintiff also asserts the Policy is gender-biased against respondents, who are "disproportionately" male, because it provides resources to complainants and labels them as "survivors." ECF No. 46 ¶ 185; ECF No. 121 at 27. Plaintiff further asserts the general purpose of the "female protectionist nature of campus sex tribunals" is a "misconceived political effort to undercut fairness for respondents." ECF No. 121 at 27. This political pressure, Plaintiff argues, stems *926from a April 2011 "Dear Colleague Letter" issued by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights which called on universities to improve their sexual assault review process or risk losing federal funding. ECF No. 121 at 26-27.
Plaintiff's Title IX claim cannot survive Defendants' motion for summary judgment under an erroneous outcome theory. Plaintiff fails on the second prong of his erroneous outcome claim as a matter of law. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the Plaintiff, no reasonable jury could find the undisputed facts show Defendants' actions were motivated by gender bias. Because Plaintiff fails on the second prong of the erroneous outcome test, the Court need not address the first prong-whether there is articulable doubt as to the accuracy of the proceedings.
First, no reasonable jury could find Defendants' choices regarding the investigative report and the disciplinary hearing were inherently gender-biased because Defendants found a male respondent responsible for sexual assault. Plaintiff asserts Defendants' "[r]eliance on hearsay and crediting the female complainant despite the accumulated evidence reflected a gender biased reaching for a conclusion that objective evidence did not permit." ECF No. 121 at 16. Plaintiff points to, among other things, Sirna's decisions to interview some witnesses and not others, ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 102-104, Sirna's finding that Plaintiff's roommate's testimony was not credible, id. ¶ 101, and Foxhoven's characterization that Plaintiff argued he was intoxicated to avoid responsibility, ECF No. 121 at 22. Plaintiff also cites other evidence he claims is objective, such as his erectile dysfunction and Jane Doe's decision not to be medically examined after the alleged assault, that he claims call for an opposite conclusion than the one made by Defendants. ECF No. 121 at 16. In sum, Plaintiff argues that Defendants viewed the evidence through a gender-biased lens in a way that disfavored Plaintiff and favored the female complainant.
When ruling on a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6), some courts have found that an action by a university official during the disciplinary process can raise a plausible inference of gender bias. Prasad v. Cornell Univ. , No. 5:15-cv-322,
Plaintiff depends on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit's decision in Doe v. Columbia University ,
Although Plaintiff argues Defendants here viewed the evidence through the same kind of gender-biased lens as the defendant in Columbia University , the different factual context at Columbia as well as the different legal standard applied at this later pleading stage make the comparison inapt. Columbia University does not support Plaintiff's argument that a disciplinary hearing that results in an outcome-which, according to Plaintiff, is in opposition to the objective evidence-automatically reveals gender bias. To the contrary, the Court will not step into the shoes of the university's decision-makers and evaluate the weight and credibility of the evidence Defendants found demonstrated Plaintiff was responsible for misconduct. See Univ. of St. Thomas ,
Second, no reasonable jury could find that Defendants' application of the concept of trauma in their decision-making or Defendants' overall victim-centered procedure reveal they were motivated by gender bias. Plaintiff asserts "Sirna's misuse of 'trauma' to rationalize away Jane Doe's behavior plainly inconsistent with a sexual assault having occurred is gender biased bad science." ECF No. 121 at 17. Plaintiff also asserts Parker's testimony that he would consider it "slut-shaming" to imply sexual activity after being assaulted was inconsistent behavior for a victim was a gender-biased comment. ECF No. 121 at 25. Plaintiff retained an expert witness who opined Sirna and other officials justified Jane Doe's "inconsistent behaviors" and memories and thought Jane Doe could reasonably "behave in any way whatsoever post-assault." Pl.'s Sealed App. Supp. Pl.'s Resp. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J. at APP. 1148-49, ECF No. 118-12. Based on Plaintiff's expert's conclusion, Plaintiff asserts that Drake's decision-makers relied on "gender biased junk science." ECF No. 121 at 17-18.
Even if a reasonable jury found Plaintiff's expert's theories
The Court similarly concludes a victim-centered approach does not create an inference of gender bias without evidence of gender bias in its formulation or application. Plaintiff cannot show the trauma-based theories used by Defendants were used because Plaintiff is a man. The statements Plaintiff suggests demonstrate Sirna's victim-centric approach were gender-neutral. For instance, McKinney stated in her deposition that "people behave differently" after a traumatic event. McKinney Dep. 50:6-51:22, ECF No. 118-3 at APP. 285. When Sirna was asked if she thought Jane Doe's behavior directly after the traumatic event was relevant to her credibility, Sirna stated: "victims often engage in counterintuitive behavior after a sexual assault. It's very common for them to want to regain control, and so they go and they have sex that's consensual with somebody else." Sirna Dep. 172:9-15, ECF No. 118-5 at APP. 457; see also Pl.'s Sealed App. Supp. Pl.'s Resp. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J. at APP. 430, Sirna Dep. 64:10-12, ECF No. 118-4 (noting "[v]ictims often engage in counterintuitive behavior."). Plaintiff argues a system focused on victims, even if stated in gender-neutral terms, is gender-biased because victims are women. ECF No. 121 at 26. Plaintiff asserts "females being both victims and accused" is a "theoretical but non-existent possibility."
In addition, Plaintiff argues the Policy is gender-biased because it provides resources for victims and lists ways to prevent sexual assault but does not provide any resources for accused students. Id. at 27. But these sections also use gender-neutral language. See Pl.'s Sealed App. Supp. Pl.'s Resp. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J. at APP. 087-117, ECF No. 118-1. Moreover, the Policy itself states it "applies regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity." ECF No. 118-1 at APP. 099. Plaintiff asserts the gender-neutral language is "a pretext for Drake's anti-male discrimination." ECF No. 46 ¶ 50. Notwithstanding his conclusory allegations discussed here, Plaintiff does not show how victim-centric or trauma-informed language reveals a gender-biased approach.
Here, at the summary judgment stage when Plaintiff has had the opportunity to review discovery to demonstrate gender bias, the Court finds Plaintiff is unable to do so. Without more, a jury could find the statements and decisions by Defendants and the Policy itself reveal a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach, but could not find they reveal a bias toward one gender.
Third, no reasonable jury could find the data about the gender of those accused of sexual misconduct at Drake reveal Defendants operated their nonacademic disciplinary *929procedure with gender-biased motives. Plaintiff asserts that because all 51 respondents in sexual misconduct disciplinary proceedings at Drake during the 2015-2016 academic year were male, the disciplinary system is infected with gender bias. ECF No. 121 at 26. Defendants point out the tracking chart provided by the Drake University Title IX coordinator indicates that although no respondents for sexual misconduct are labeled as female, there is no information provided about the gender of the respondent in numerous cases. ECF No. 135 at 1 n.1; see generally ECF No. 118-13 at APP. 1195-1254. Even when viewing the statistics as Plaintiff presents them, this data is not enough to show gender bias.
Courts have declined to infer a gender-biased motive on the part of university officials from the disparity in gender among those who are accused of sexual assault, noting that schools are not responsible for which students choose to report sexual misconduct. Doe v. Trs. of Bos. Coll. ,
The Sixth Circuit, on the other hand, has reasoned it is plausible to infer gender bias from data showing all men accused of sexual misconduct during an academic year were found responsible for the alleged violation and data showing nearly ninety percent of students accused of sexual assault over several years had male first names. Miami Univ. ,
Finally, no reasonable jury could conclude Defendants were influenced by outside pressure to carry out sexual misconduct investigations and disciplinary hearings that impermissibly favored women and unfairly punished men. Plaintiff asserts the "Dear Colleague Letter" pressured universities to create tribunals with the purpose of finding men responsible for sexual assault or risk losing federal funding. ECF No. 121 at 26-27; ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 20, 51. Again, courts have not found this argument persuasive-particularly at the summary *930judgment stage. See Bos. Coll. ,
For the reasons discussed above, Plaintiff's claim for erroneous outcome cannot survive Defendants' motion for summary judgment. The Court therefore grants summary judgment in Defendants' favor on this theory.
2. Deliberate indifference
As part of Plaintiff's Title IX claim, Plaintiff asserts Defendants "demonstrated deliberate indifference when they refused to investigate and dismissed the sexual assault claim by Plaintiff, a male complainant, as well as by Plaintiff's father, a trustee of the college." ECF No. 46 ¶ 135. Plaintiff contends Parker's statement that Drake would not investigate Plaintiff's claim of sexual assault because it was a form of retaliation indicates deliberate indifference. ECF No. 121 at 33-34. Defendants contend Plaintiff's claim fails because one assault does not constitute a "systematic" denial of an education program and Drake's conduct did not cause Plaintiff's alleged assault or make him vulnerable to it. ECF No. 104 at 23-24. As explained below, the Court grants Defendants' motion for summary judgment as to this theory because Plaintiff has not shown how Defendants' alleged inaction subjected him to harassment.
For a school to incur liability under a Title IX deliberate indifference claim, "it must be (1) deliberately indifferent (2) to known acts of discrimination (3) which occur under its control." Shrum ex rel. Kelly v. Kluck ,
Plaintiff's deliberate indifference claim cannot survive Defendants' motion for summary judgment. Specifically, Plaintiff does not claim Defendants' alleged failure to investigate his sexual assault caused him to experience any separate harassment following his assault. The Eighth Circuit requires such a showing. See K.T. ,
*931Furthermore, as the Eighth Circuit and other courts have noted, failure to follow Title IX regulations is not a sufficiently severe form of discrimination to give rise to a deliberate indifference claim. See, e.g. , St. Louis Univ. ,
Moreover, to the extent Plaintiff asserts part of the harassment he faced was also due to Defendants' decision to investigate and ultimately expel him for sexual assault, Plaintiff's claim fails. See ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 135-36; ECF No. 121 at 32-34. Plaintiff does not explain how the adjudication of Jane Doe's complaint and his expulsion are connected to Plaintiff's alleged assault and Defendants' alleged failure to investigate. Both the disciplinary proceedings against Plaintiff and his ultimate expulsion were triggered by Jane Doe's complaint, rather than by Plaintiff's own assertions regarding the sexual assault he allegedly experienced. Significantly, Plaintiff concedes Defendants were required to investigate Jane Doe's complaint against him. See ECF No. 121 at 30. Consequently, Defendants' decision to investigate Plaintiff and expel him cannot form the basis of his deliberate indifference claim.
For the reasons discussed above, even if Defendants failed to investigate Plaintiff's report of sexual harassment, because Plaintiff cannot show how such a failure subjected him to "severe and pervasive" harassment, his claim is insufficient as a matter of law. The Court thus grants Defendants' motion for summary judgment as to this theory.
3. Selective enforcement
Plaintiff also asserts Defendants subjected him to selective enforcement. ECF No. 121 at 28. A Title IX selective enforcement claim is premised on the allegation that "regardless of the student's guilt or innocence, the severity of the penalty and/or the decision to initiate the proceeding was affected by the student's gender." Yusuf ,
There are factual questions as to whether Defendants' decision to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Plaintiff but not Jane Doe-even though they were both accused of sexual misconduct-was motivated by gender. These factual questions make it impossible for the Court to grant Defendants' motion for summary judgment on Plaintiff's selective enforcement claim. In considering Defendants' motion as to this claim, the Court addresses *932two factual questions. First, were Plaintiff and Jane Doe treated equally when they brought their respective complaints of sexual misconduct? In considering this question, the Court must also consider whether Plaintiff and Jane Doe were similarly situated. Second, if Plaintiff and Jane Doe were treated differently, was the disparate treatment motivated by gender?
Plaintiff contends comparison to "similarly situated" individuals is not required for a selective enforcement claim. ECF No. 121 at 29. Plaintiff asserts Yusuf ,
Furthermore, following the decision in Columbia University , courts have continued to require a plaintiff asserting a selective enforcement claim to point to a similarly situated individual of the opposite gender who was treated more favorably. See, e.g. , Plummer v. Univ. of Houston ,
There is a genuine issue of material fact as to whether Jane Doe and Plaintiff are similarly situated. Although Jane Doe and Plaintiff both alleged sexual misconduct by the other, they reported their allegations in different manners. See ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 155, APP. 182-83. Jane Doe reported she had been assaulted to the Department of Public Safety.
An accused student and his or her accuser can be compared to show selective enforcement if the parties allege misconduct against each other. See Stenzel ,
Here, there is a genuine issue of material fact as to whether Defendants dissuaded Plaintiff from initiating his complaint. If Plaintiff was discouraged from filing his complaint, then Jane Doe and Plaintiff would be similarly situated-they both were in the position to initiate complaints of sexual misconduct. Jane Doe was successful in initiating formal disciplinary proceedings. Plaintiff was not. Plaintiff claims he chose not to initiate his complaint because he was told it would be retaliatory. Pl.'s Dep. 151:13-152:25, 153:14-154:5, ECF No. 118 at APP. 38-39. Defendants respond that all accused students, male or female, receive the same general warning *934that they may not retaliate against their accuser. Parker Decl. ¶¶ 4-5, ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 306. The Code includes a general prohibition of retaliation. The Code states: "[r]etaliation occurs when action is taken against another because they have sought guidance, filed [a] complaint or participated in an investigation." ECF No. 137 at APP. 115. "Examples of retaliation include, but are not limited to, any action that has an adverse impact on the complainant's employment, compensation or work assignments, or, in the case of students, grades, class selection or any other matter pertaining to [the] student."
Plaintiff alleges he was told a counter-complaint would be retaliatory, Pl.'s Dep. 153:14-154:5, ECF No. 118 at APP. 39, and the general warning against retaliation in the Code does not list counter-complaints as an example of retaliatory action. ECF No. 137 at APP. 115-16. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to Plaintiff, a reasonable jury could find Plaintiff was dissuaded from filing a complaint.
There is also a genuine issue of material fact as to whether the allegations of Plaintiff and Jane Doe were treated differently and whether this disparate treatment was motivated by gender. It is undisputed Plaintiff told the Dean of Students he might be a victim of sexual assault. Overberg Dep. 62:15-63:12, ECF No. 103 at APP. 27. It is disputed, however, if the Dean of Students investigated or dismissed his complaint. According to the Code, the Dean of Students can initiate an investigation of sexual misconduct. ECF No. 137 at APP. 116. Plaintiff contends Parker told his father on a phone call before the disciplinary hearing that "Drake would not be investigating [Plaintiff's] claim because they believed [Plaintiff's] claim to be retaliatory." Rossley Sr. Decl. ¶ 10, ECF No. 118-13 at APP. 1180. Defendants, however, contend Plaintiff's complaint was "effectively investigated and adjudicated and found to be without merit." ECF No. 104 at 20. As evidence of the investigation of Plaintiff's allegations, Defendants rely on Sirna's findings from the investigation and Foxhoven's ruling after the disciplinary hearing that indicated Plaintiff lacked credibility. ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 220-25, 241. Sirna and Foxhoven, however, made this credibility determination about Plaintiff regarding Jane Doe's allegations of sexual assault by Plaintiff-not specifically about Plaintiff's allegations of sexual assault by Jane Doe. Thus, there is a dispute of material fact as to how Plaintiff's allegations of sexual misconduct by Jane Doe-and subsequent decision not to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Jane Doe-were treated by Defendants.
Although Defendants claim Plaintiff cannot allege facts to show any possible disparate treatment was motivated by gender, the disputed facts themselves-whether an arguably similarly situated man and woman were treated differently-raise the specter of gender bias. Defendants have provided different explanations for their approach to Plaintiff's allegations. Parker is reported to have told Plaintiff's father that Plaintiff's complaint would not be investigated, while Defendants have argued that the allegations were investigated and found to be without merit. ECF No. 118-13 at APP. 1180; ECF No. 104 at 20. These differing explanations can be evidence of pretext. Cf. Fitzgerald v. Action, Inc. ,
Defendants' motion for summary judgment is therefore denied as to Plaintiff's Title IX claim under a selective enforcement theory.
D. ADA Claim (Count VI)
In Count VI, Plaintiff asserts Defendants violated Title III of the American with Disabilities Act by failing to provide Plaintiff with reasonable accommodations during the investigation, disciplinary hearing, and appeals hearing. ECF No. 46 ¶ 239.
(i) having someone else with him in the room [during] the meeting with the investigator; (ii) having questions by the investigators written down before [the Plaintiff] would be expected to answer them; and (iii) time and a half, or at least more time at the hearing in a situation where it was two 'parties' ... versus one 'party.'
ECF No. 121 at 39; see also Pl.'s Dep. 125:12-128:23, 133:7-136:24, ECF No. 103 at APP. 008, APP. 010. Defendants assert they are entitled to summary judgment on this count as 1) Plaintiff never requested a reasonable accommodation; and 2) the accommodations Plaintiff now identifies were either offered to him, are speculative, or would have amounted to an undue burden. ECF No. 104 at 26-30.
1. Applicable Law
Under Title III of the ADA, it is unlawful for "any place of public accommodation" to "fail[ ] to make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures, when such modifications are necessary to afford such goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations to individuals with disabilities."
Thus, in the context of higher education, an individual bringing a failure to accommodate claim under Title III of the ADA must show:
(1) that the plaintiff is disabled and otherwise qualified academically,
(2) that the defendant is a private entity that owns, leases or operates a place of public accommodation (for ADA purposes) ..., and
(3) 'that the defendant failed to make reasonable modifications that would accommodate the plaintiff's disability without fundamentally altering the nature of the public accommodation.'
2. Analysis
Defendants do not contest that Plaintiff can establish the first two elements of his ADA claim. See Mershon ,
a. Specific request
The Court determines there are no genuine issues of material fact indicating Plaintiff or his attorney ever specifically requested an accommodation during the investigation, disciplinary hearing, or appeals hearing. It is undisputed Plaintiff suffers from a mild form of dyslexia, ADHD, and word-retrieval issues. ECF No. 133 ¶ 1; Pl.'s Dep. 129:1-9, 172:20-173:4, ECF No. 103 at APP. 009, APP. 014-15; Pl.'s Sealed App. Supp. Pl.'s Resp. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J. at APP. 775-76, Hr'g Tr. 218:17-219:12, ECF No. 118-8. Due to his disabilities, Plaintiff regularly requested, and received, academic accommodations from Defendants. See Pl.'s Dep. 169:16-170:24, ECF No. 103 at APP. 14; ECF No. 104 at 27. As Plaintiff explained in his deposition, although he was generally awarded "time and a half" for exams, the accommodations he requested and utilized "varie[d] class to class." Pl.'s Dep. 170:6-14, ECF No. 103 at APP. 014; Pl.'s *937Dep. 130:8-131:8, ECF No. 118 at APP. 033. Furthermore, Plaintiff stated in order to secure accommodations, Plaintiff met with each professor individually to determine what accommodations were necessary. Pl.'s Dep. 169:23-170:5, ECF No. 103 at APP. 014. Because he initiated these requests, Plaintiff had not discussed whether the disability coordinator was authorized to speak to professors independently about Plaintiff's disabilities. Pl.'s Dep. 171:16-172:16, ECF No. 103 at APP. 014.
The evidence also indicates during the disciplinary process, Plaintiff did make Parker, the investigators, and Foxhoven aware of his disabilities, and some of the associated symptoms. See, e.g. , Parker Dep. 232:2-233:7, ECF No. 103 at APP. 050 (mentioning Plaintiff's parents statements to Parker about Plaintiff's disabilities); ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 192 (noting Plaintiff's statements about his disabilities to the investigators); Pl.'s Sealed App. Supp. Pl.'s Resp. Defs.' Mot. Summ. J. at APP. 775-76, Hr'g Tr. 218:17-219:12, ECF No. 118-8 (noting Plaintiff's statements about his disabilities during the disciplinary hearing with Foxhoven). However, both Plaintiff and Plaintiff's personal representative stated they never requested Plaintiff be provided accommodations. Pl.'s Dep. 120:19-121:10, 129:10-130:10, ECF No. 103 at APP. 006-07, 009; Defs.' Second Suppl. App. at APP. 314, Kaiser Dep. 25:18-26:13, ECF No. 132. Plaintiff also did not request accommodations during the investigation. Sirna Decl. ¶ 4, ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 301. Rather, Plaintiff stated he assumed Defendants would follow up about any necessary accommodations once he revealed he had taken Adderall on October 8, 2015, due to his ADHD. See Pl.'s Dep. 120:23-123:13, ECF No. 103 at APP. 006-07. Furthermore, although Plaintiff's personal representative requested Plaintiff be given extra time during the disciplinary hearing, these requests were consistently raised as an issue of procedural fairness, rather than Plaintiff's disabilities. See Hr'g Tr. 6:14-19, ECF No. 118-6 at APP. 563 (arguing "having ten minutes arguing that [the Plaintiff] is responsible and we get five minutes to rebut that is not fair"); ECF No. 137 at APP. 233; see also Foxhoven Dep. 23:15-24:6, ECF No. 103 at APP. 076; Pl.'s Dep. 133:7-19, ECF No. 103 at APP. 010 ("[E]ven my accommodations aside, we should have gotten double anything anyway. But on top of my accommodations, I already deserved time and a half for anything and everything."). The Court determines no reasonable jury could find Plaintiff or his attorney affirmatively requested any accommodations during the investigation, disciplinary hearing, or appeals hearing.
b. Constructive notice
Absent an affirmative request for an accommodation, Plaintiff contends Defendants were constructively on notice of Plaintiff's disabilities due to his academic accommodations and statements regarding his ADHD, dyslexia, and word-retrieval issues. ECF No. 121 at 37-38. Consequently, Plaintiff asserts Defendants were required to affirmatively engage with Plaintiff regarding possible accommodations.
*938
First, unlike Plaintiff, the Redding plaintiff's informal requests actually identified the accommodations she was requesting.
Nathanson is similarly distinguishable. In Nathanson , the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit considered the plaintiff's failure to accommodate claim under § 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
c. Third-party request
Finally, Plaintiff contends even if he did not request an accommodation during the disciplinary procedure, his father, Thomas Rossley, Sr. requested an accommodation on his behalf. ECF No. 121 at 38-39. In his declaration, Plaintiff's father stated during a "contentious" phone call with Parker in December 2015, he "demanded" that Parker "accommodate [Plaintiff]'s disabilities in the upcoming hearing" and that "Parker never addressed this request for disability accommodations." Rossley, Sr. Decl. ¶10, ECF No. 118-13 at APP. 1179-80. Further, he explained he "was infuriated that [Plaintiff] had to defend himself against Dean Parker's call for [Plaintiff]'s expulsion with no accommodations that [Plaintiff's father] had requested for [Plaintiff]'s ADHD, anxiety, and language-based *940learning disabilities." Rossley, Sr. Decl. ¶14, ECF No. 118-13 at APP. 1182.
Plaintiff does not cite to any case law to support his claim that a third party may request an accommodation on behalf of an adult student during a disciplinary procedure. See ECF No. 121 at 38-39.
Moreover, unlike the current case, the plaintiffs in Taylor and Corbett were both incapable of requesting the accommodations themselves, as they were in treatment facilities. See Taylor , 184 F.3d at 302 ; Corbett ,
During the hearing on this motion, Plaintiff's counsel also asserted, because Plaintiff had waived his rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), his father was serving as *941his representative when he requested accommodations from Parker. Mot. Summ. J. Hr'g Tr. 52:5-14, ECF No. 146. However, FERPA only protects a student's privacy as applied to his academic and medical records; it does not provide a parent with representative authority once the FERPA rights are waived. See generally 20 U.S.C. § 1232g. This is particularly true when, as here, the adult student is capable of requesting accommodations for himself and is represented by independent counsel. See Pl.'s Dep. 194:7-14, ECF No. 103 at APP. 019 (stating that at the time Plaintiff had the second meeting with the investigators, he had an attorney); ECF No. 103-1 at APP. 219 (noting the second interview occurred on November 10, 2015); Rossley, Sr. Decl. ¶ 12, ECF No. 118-13 at APP. 1180-81 (stating Rossley, Sr. spoke with Parker regarding Plaintiff's disabilities in December 2015). Plaintiff stated he understood his attorney was responsible for discussing any accommodations he might need with Defendants and that he "delegated [that duty] to [his] lawyer." Pl.'s Dep. 126:8-22, ECF No. 103 at APP. 008. For the reasons set forth above, Rossley, Sr. could not request an accommodation for his adult son and Defendants were not required to engage with Plaintiff in response to his father's statements.
Finally, even if Plaintiff's father could request an accommodation for his adult son, the record does not provide any indication of what accommodations Rossley, Sr. specifically requested. Rossley, Sr.'s declaration states he "demanded" that Defendants "accommodate [Plaintiff]'s disabilities in the upcoming hearing" and that he was "infuriated" that Defendants had not provided the "accommodations that [he] had requested for [Plaintiff]'s ADHD, anxiety, and language-based learning disabilities." Rossley, Sr. Decl. ¶¶ 12, 14, ECF No. 118-13 at APP. 1179, 1182. This declaration does not indicate what accommodations were necessary in the hearing, which accommodations Rossley, Sr. believed should have been provided during the investigation, and how Defendants should accommodate Plaintiff's disabilities. Although Plaintiff received academic accommodations, as noted above, those accommodations were provided in a separate process and involved accommodations for different requirements under the Code. As the Eighth Circuit has explained, plaintiffs seeking accommodations must "request[ ] reasonable specific accommodations." Mershon ,
E. Contract Claims (Counts III, IV, and VII)
Plaintiff brings three state law contract claims: breach of contract (Count III), breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing (Count IV), and estoppel and reliance (Count VII). ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 203-19, 220-24, 241-47. All of Plaintiff's claims are premised on, and encompassed by, the contractual language contained in the Code and the Policy. For purposes of summary judgment, Defendants concede the Code and the Policy constitute contracts under Iowa state law. See ECF No. 104 at 34. Defendants argue Plaintiff's contractual claims fail because: 1) Plaintiff cannot show Defendants violated any contractual rights due to him under the Code or the Policy, including the requirement to conduct a fair hearing; 2) Plaintiff's covenant of good faith and fair dealing claim would alter the terms of the contract; and 3) the Code and the Policy explained all of the *942promises made to Plaintiff, and by conducting a fair and equitable hearing, Defendants kept their promise. Id. at 34-40.
The Court first considers whether Plaintiff's claims asserting estoppel and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing are subsumed by his claim alleging breach of contract. Determining they are, the Court next examines whether Plaintiff has identified genuine issues of material fact as to whether Defendants breached their contractual duties to Plaintiff under the Code or Policy. The Court finds Plaintiff has shown that some, but not all, of the alleged breaches include genuine issues of material fact.
1. Estoppel & covenant of good faith and fair dealing (Counts IV and VII)
In Count VII, Plaintiff asserts a claim for estoppel and reliance. Plaintiff alleges "Drake's various policies constitute representations and promises that Drake should have reasonably expected to induce action or forbearance by Plaintiff," including the "express and implied promises that Drake would not tolerate, and Plaintiff would not suffer, harassment by fellow students" and that Drake "would not deny Plaintiff his procedural rights should he be accused of a violation of Drake's policies." ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 242-43. Because Plaintiff asserts he suffered harm after reasonably relying on "representations and promises" by Defendants, the Court understands Plaintiff to be making a promissory estoppel, rather than equitable estoppel, claim.
Under Iowa law, "[t]he theory of promissory estoppel allows individuals to be held liable for their promises despite an absence of the consideration typically found in a contract." Schoff v. Combined Ins. Co. of Am. ,
(1) [A] clear and definite promise; (2) the promise was made with the promisor's clear understanding that the promisee was seeking an assurance upon which the promisee could rely and without which he would not act; (3) the promisee acted to his substantial detriment in reasonable reliance on the promise; and (4) injustice can be avoided only be enforcement of the promise.
*94328 Am. Jur. 2d, Estoppel & Waiver § 54 (1964 & Aug. 2018 Update) ("A promissory estoppel claim is precluded by the existence of an enforceable contract, and in fact, promissory estoppel does not apply when the dispute arises out of a valid contract between the parties.").
As applied to this case, Plaintiff claims he reasonably relied upon Defendants' promises "that Drake would not tolerate, and Plaintiff would not suffer, harassment by fellow students" and that Drake "would not deny Plaintiff his procedural rights should he be accused of a violation of Drake's policies." ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 242-43. Apart from the plain language contained in the Code and the Policy, Plaintiff does not point to any "clear and definite" statements by Defendants relating to these alleged promises. See Schoff ,
Furthermore, even if Plaintiff could point to affirmative statements by Defendants regarding due process or equitable proceedings made by Defendants before the disciplinary proceedings, such statements are encompassed by the Code and the Policy. See ECF No. 137 at APP. 111-12, 134 (defining "sexual assault" as a form of non-academic misconduct);
For similar reasons, the Court determines Plaintiff's claim for breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing is subsumed by his breach of contract claim. In Count IV, Plaintiff asserts Defendants "breached and violated the covenant of good faith and fair dealing implied in the agreement(s) with Plaintiff by meting out the disproportionately severe sanction of expulsion where there was a lack of credible evidence concerning the claims against him." ECF No. 46 ¶ 222. Plaintiff identifies two examples of Defendants' alleged breach: 1) Foxhoven's decision to "allow[ ] Jane Doe to admit to her own sexual assault of Plaintiff," "lie in her testimony without consequences," and "doctor her text message evidence to try to prove the plaintiff was stalking her"; and 2) Defendants' refusal to take action against Jane Doe for these violations of the Code. Id. ¶ 221. Defendants contend Iowa law does not recognize Plaintiff's claim as Plaintiff is seeking to alter the terms of the Code *944and the Policy. ECF No. 104 at 38. Defendants also assert Plaintiff was only expelled after he was found responsible for sexual misconduct in accordance with the Code; the Code does not give Plaintiff "a contractual right to have Drake initiate disciplinary action against other students"; and Defendants followed the terms of the contracts by providing all the evidence they had to Plaintiff before the disciplinary hearing. Id. at 38-39.
Iowa law recognizes an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in all contracts. See Alta Vista Props., LLC v. Mauer Vision Ctr., PC ,
2. Breach of Contract (Count III)
Plaintiff alleges Defendants breached its express and implied agreements with Plaintiff. ECF No. 46 ¶ 205. Under Iowa law, to prevail on a contract claim, a plaintiff must prove: 1) the existence of a contract; 2) the terms and conditions of the contract; 3) that the plaintiff has performed all the terms and conditions required under the contract; 4) the defendant's breach of the contract in some particular way; and 5) that the plaintiff has suffered damages as a result of the breach. Molo Oil Co. v River City Ford Truck Sales, Inc. ,
The first breach Plaintiff alleges is that Defendants failed to conduct an equitable investigation of Jane Doe's claims. ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 207-08. Plaintiff contends this breach violates the Policy term which states: "[t]he University disciplinary process will include a prompt, fair, and impartial investigation and resolution process." ECF No. 137 at APP. 138. Plaintiff next alleges Defendants failed to conduct an equitable investigation of Plaintiff's claim of sexual misconduct by Jane Doe. ECF
*945No. 46 ¶¶ 209-213. Plaintiff claims Defendants' failure to do so violates the term of the Code stating the Dean of Students will investigate student complaints. ECF No. 137 at APP. 116. Third, Plaintiff alleges Defendants breached the Code by discriminating against Plaintiff on the basis of sex. ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 214-15. Plaintiff alleges this discrimination violates the term of the Code stating Drake prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. ECF No. 137 at APP. 099. Fourth, Plaintiff alleges Defendants breached the contract by failing to apply the proper burden of proof during the disciplinary proceedings. ECF No. 46 ¶¶ 216-17. Plaintiff claims that this breach corresponds with the term in the Code that provides "[a] violation of this Code is established upon proof of a charge by a preponderance of the evidence; a preponderance of the evidence exists when it is more likely than not, or the greater weight of the evidence suggests, a violation occurred." ECF No. 137 at APP. 122.
Plaintiff's first and last identified breaches-that Drake failed to conduct an equitable investigation and failed to apply the correct burden of proof-do not present a genuine issue of material fact. Although Plaintiff challenges various procedural characteristics of the disciplinary process, Plaintiff provides nothing more than conclusory allegations that the process was biased and partial. Plaintiff claims Defendants failed to provide "procedural equity" and argues, among other things, that "[t]he investigation report was positioned to support Jane Doe's accusation of lack of consent and incapacitation" and the "[s]anction was unwarranted and disproportionate in light of the circumstances." ECF No. 46 ¶ 208. Similarly, Plaintiff argues the wrong burden of proof was applied because "[a] fair reading of the evidence" calls for a different outcome. Id. at ¶ 217.
Plaintiff expresses disagreement with the procedure and the outcome, but does not demonstrate a genuine issue of material fact that shows the proceeding was not prompt, fair, and impartial. Plaintiff agreed to accept the Code's "rules, regulations and policies" through "voluntary entrance into Drake University." ECF No. 137 at APP. 103. A Drake student also "acknowledges the right of the University to initiate disciplinary procedures when an allegation or a complaint of non-academic misconduct is made and to impose disciplinary sanctions when it has been determined that non-academic misconduct has occurred." Id. Because Plaintiff has not pointed to any genuine issue of material fact beyond his opinions about partiality and unfairness, Defendants' motion for summary judgment is granted as to these alleged breaches of contract.
However, there is a genuine issue of material fact as to Plaintiff's claim that Defendants breached the contract by failing to conduct an equitable investigation of Plaintiff's allegations against Jane Doe. There is also a genuine issue of material fact as to whether this failure was motivated by sex discrimination. The Code requires the Dean of Students conduct investigations into student complaints of sexual misconduct. ECF No. 137 at APP. 116. There are genuine issues of material fact as to whether Plaintiff filed a complaint, what Defendants decided to do with Plaintiff's complaint if it was initiated, and, finally, if any of these decisions were the result of sex discrimination. A jury must weigh the evidence to answer these questions and determine if Defendants breached their contract with Plaintiff. See Amherst Coll. ,
*946sufficient to show a breach of an agreement to hold a fair hearing to survive a motion for a judgment on the pleadings). Thus, Defendants' motion for summary judgment is denied as to the alleged breaches of contract that Defendants failed to conduct an equitable investigation of Plaintiff's claim and Defendants discriminated against Plaintiff on the basis of sex.
V. CONCLUSION
The Court grants in part and denies in part Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment. Plaintiff did not contend dismissal of his negligent infliction of emotional distress claim. Plaintiff did not request a reasonable accommodation and thus cannot maintain his ADA claim. Plaintiff has not identified genuine issues of material fact to support his deliberate indifference and erroneous outcome claims under Title IX. The Court thus grants summary judgment in favor of Defendants on Plaintiff's negligent infliction of emotional distress claim, his ADA claim, and his Title IX claim under his erroneous outcome and deliberate indifference theories.
However, there are genuine issues of material fact as to whether Defendants selectively enforced their Code and Policy against Plaintiff in violation of Title IX. The Court thus denies Defendants' motion for summary judgment on Plaintiff's Title IX claim under a selective enforcement theory.
Plaintiff may not maintain an independent claim for declaratory judgment, so the Court grants Defendants' motion for summary judgment as to that claim. Plaintiff's estoppel and covenant of good faith and fair dealing claims are subsumed by his other contractual claims. Consequently, Defendants' motion for summary judgment on Plaintiff's estoppel and covenant of good faith and fair dealing claims is granted.
However, there are genuine issues of material fact as to whether Defendants breached their contract with Plaintiff by failing to investigate his claim of sexual misconduct. The Court denies Defendants' motion for summary judgment on Plaintiff's contract claims as to these two breaches. Summary judgment is granted in favor of Defendants on all of Plaintiff's other breach of contract claims.
IT IS SO ORDERED that Defendants' Motion for a Summary Judgment, ECF No. 99, is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART . The Court GRANTS Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment on Plaintiff's Title IX claim (Count I) under Plaintiff's erroneous outcome and deliberate indifference theories. The Court DENIES Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment on Plaintiff's Title IX claim (Count I) under Plaintiff's selective enforcement theory. The Court GRANTS Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment on Plaintiff's breach of contract claim (Count III) regarding Defendants' failure to conduct an equitable investigation and to apply a proper burden of proof. The Court DENIES Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment on Plaintiff's breach of contract claim (Count III) regarding the Defendants' failure to investigate Plaintiff's allegations of sexual misconduct and its discrimination against Plaintiff on the basis of sex. The Court finds Plaintiff's estoppel and covenant of good faith and fair dealing claims (Counts IV and VII) are subsumed by Plaintiff's breach of contract claim and thus GRANTS Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment on Counts IV and VII. Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment on Plaintiff's claim of negligent infliction of emotional distress (Count V) is not resisted by Plaintiff and is thus DISMISSED . The Court GRANTS Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment on Plaintiff's ADA claim (Count VI). Plaintiff's claim for a declaratory judgment *947(Count VIII) does not constitute an independent claim of relief. The Court thus GRANTS Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment on Plaintiff's Count VIII for declaratory judgment.
The parties are responsible for their own costs.
The Policy governs conduct of students, employees, and certain third parties. ECF No. 137 at APP. 134. If the Policy is invoked in a complaint against a student, the Policy instructs that the procedures outlined in the Code govern the investigation and adjudication process.
The Court uses this key throughout this Order and, when necessary, replaces the names of witnesses and students with their identifying letters. See ECF No. 134.
The Court understands "whiskey dick" to be slang for an individual's inability to maintain an erection due to alcohol consumption. See ECF No. 46 ¶ 90; ECF No. 103-1 at APP 190.
Witness I's statement regarding his sexual encounter with Jane Doe was in the original investigative report Sirna filed with Parker. See Sirna Dep. 147:16-148:8, ECF No. 118-5 at APP. 451; compare ECF No. 118-5 at APP. 493, with Overberg Dep. 128:5-20, ECF No. 103 at APP. 35. Overberg stated a request was made by Jane Doe to redact that information from the original report. Overberg Dep. 129:5-15, ECF No. 103 at APP. 35. Plaintiff had also requested comments about his father and additional "gossip" regarding that night be redacted. Overberg Dep. 99:6-24, 128:25-129:3, ECF No. 103 at APP. 32, 35. Both Plaintiff and Jane Doe's requests were followed.
Plaintiff also requests a declaration that "Drake's Code is unconstitutional as applied." ECF No. 46 ¶ 252. Because the Court previously determined Plaintiff may not assert constitutional claims against Defendants, see ECF No. 48 at 4-7, the Court need not address Count VIII as it relates to this request.
The Court does not rule on the admissibility of the expert's report.
Plaintiff argues the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio's ruling in Gischel v. University of Cincinnati indicates whether an accused student filed a formal complaint is irrelevant if the university had actual knowledge of the alleged conduct. Notice ¶ 1, ECF No. 140. The Gischel court relied on Doe v. Miami University ,
Although Plaintiff's Amended Complaint was brought under Title II of the ADA, both parties agree Plaintiff's claim is only actionable under Title III, as the former applies to public institutions and the latter applies to private institutions. See ECF No. 104 at 26; ECF No. 121 at 35. Because both parties treat Plaintiff's claim as if it were brought under Title III, the Court does as well.
Defendants also assert Plaintiff's claim "fails because [Plaintiff] failed to generate any evidence that his expulsion was based upon his disability." ECF No. 104 at 30 (citations and internal quotation marks omitted). As explained below, in cases asserting failure to accommodate under the ADA, a plaintiff is not required to separately establish a defendant's actions were based on discriminatory animus.
The Court notes during his disciplinary hearing, Plaintiff explained: "I also have a ... word-based learning disability where I'm very bad at retrieving words and--like literally what is happening now--I guess like a word-retrieval issue and a mild form of dyslexia as well." Hr'g Tr. 219:8-12, ECF No. 118-8 at APP. 776. However, as detailed above, Plaintiff did not explain he was unable to participate in the hearing due to this issue, nor did he--nor his personal representative--request an accommodation during the hearing following Plaintiff's statement.
At the hearing on this motion, Plaintiff pointed the Court to both Nathanson and Redding to support this contention. Mot. Summ. J. Hr'g Tr. 51:8-52:5, ECF No. 146. However, neither case involves a third-party request for an accommodation; rather, both plaintiffs requested their own accommodations during their respective academic programs. Nathanson ,
Equitable estoppel is based on a misstatement of fact; promissory estoppel requires a plaintiff show he detrimentally relied upon a promise. See Merrifield v. Troutner ,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Thomas ROSSLEY, Jr. v. DRAKE UNIVERSITY and Drake University Board of Trustees
- Cited By
- 20 cases
- Status
- Published