The U.S. Justice Department is suing New Mexico State University and its regents over alleged pay inequities among male and female track coaches.
The lawsuit announced Thursday accuses the university of discriminating against former assistant track coach Meaghan Harkins on the basis of gender by paying her less than male colleagues with similar responsibilities.
Prosecutors say the disparity amounted to a civil rights violation and thousands of dollars less per year for Harkins.
The university says it will comment once it has a chance to review the complaint and confer with its counsel.
Harkins originally filed a charge of sex discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. After an investigation by the agency and unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred the charge to the Justice Department.
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