Jim Calhoun charged with sexual harassment

On October 9, 2019, former Associate Athletic Director Jacklyn Piscitelli filed a lawsuit against the University of Saint Joseph and James “Jim” Calhoun, the head coach of the newly founded men’s basketball team.

In the suit, Piscitelli claims that she faced “unfair treatment” in a “male-dominated and hostile work environment.” She goes on to claim that she “was excluded from participation in activities and denied benefits provided to male’s employees.” Piscitelli also mentions that Calhoun and other male co-workers regularly made sexual comments towards and about her.

This news comes one year after the University of Saint Joseph started admitting males into their previously all-girl school. It also comes after the firing of Piscitelli from her university collegiate position on June 21, 2019.

The University of Saint Joseph has yet to comment on the matter, while Calhoun chose to respond last Sunday. In the four paragraph public response, Calhoun talks about his disappointment with news outlets, specifically the Hartford Courant, for their headlines on this story. He describes his upbringing, stands for equality for women, and takes his stand on this matter. “However, I firmly and unequivocally, at no time, knowingly treated any woman unfairly because of her gender. In addition, let me be clear, I have never treated any woman inappropriately.”

Calhoun is known to the public most for his 26 year serving as UCONN Huskies Men’s Basketball head coach. Since this public statement, Piscitelli and her attorneys have not responded.