KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 6 — A Malaysian student at the Utah State University (USU) reportedly committed suicide after allegedly enduring eight months of bullying by her classmates, according to several US news reports.
PhD psychology student Jerusha Sanjeevi, 24, ended her life in April 2017, The Daily Beast reported yesterday.
Based on a federal lawsuit filed last Thursday by her boyfriend, Matthew Bick, the report said that the complainant had alleged negligence, wrongful death, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The lawsuit, which is seeking damages from the university, named the USU, the head of the psychology department, several students who were in her cohort, and professors as defendants.
The lawsuit reportedly contends that the university’s lack of action had violated her civil rights as it was stated that she had lodged a complaint about the alleged bullying to her professors and a department chairman.
The lawsuit also claimed that 83 per cent of the students in the university are white.
In a recent report by HJ News, the lawsuit alleged that there was a pattern in the bullying and that the PhD programme had failed to address the bullying and mediate the intercultural conflict between Jerusha and her alleged bully.
It was reported that the lawsuit states the PhD programme had claimed to be able to navigate such intercultural conflicts.
Meanwhile, The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Jerusha, who is of Chinese and Indian heritage, was bullied by her classmates over the colour of her skin.
Jerusha, who had enrolled at the USU in the fall of 2016, was made fun of for her “weird Asian name” and labelled “stupid”.
USU spokesperson Amand DeRito was reported to have declined to comment on the specifics of the case and said the school disputes the facts and allegations in the lawsuit.
DeRito claimed the USU had taken all appropriate action to address interpersonal issues between students in the department.
In Malaysia, suicide helpline Befrienders offers free and confidential support 24 hours a day via 03-79568145.
