Seattle Central Community College did not unlawfully end the contract of a 73-year-old administrator due to her age, according to a jury decision last week in King County Superior Court.

The jury ruled against Joan Ray, who sued the college and SCCC president Paul Killpatrick in 2011 for age discrimination. Ray had worked for the college for 39 years when she was forced out of her position as Vice President of Student Services.

In the trial, Ray claimed the school ended her contract because of her age then hired a younger administrator for the job. The college argued that state budget cuts announced earlier in the year forced restructuring at the school, and that Ray was no longer qualified for a new consolidated position.

According to state statue, age cannot be a “substantial factor” in firing an employee.

According to court documents, the tensions between Ray and Killpatrick began with a nasty look during a summer retreat.

In August 2010, newly appointed SCCC president Killpatrick gathered his administrators for a summer retreat. A couple months earlier, Ray had had led the selection committee that chose Killpatrick for the position after Dr. Mildred Ollee left the post that year.

According to Ray, Killpatrick commented at the retreat that older people in the college administration were “so old they were starting to crack.” Ray says she told Killpatrick to be careful, to which Killpatrick responded with a “glare.”

Ray says Killpatrick made repeated visits to her office throughout the summer to discuss her retirement, even though she had no stated plans to retire. In December, she got the notice the school would not renew her contract.

Killpatrick sent Ray a letter soon after notifying her that because she was a tenured faculty member, she could return to teaching. Ray turned down the offer.

Ray started working for the college as a faculty member in 1972. She taught courses in guidance and counseling for seven years and became a tenured faculty member. In 1979, she moved into administration.

After Ray was let go, Killpatrick consolidated Ray’s position with the President of Instruction. Warren Brown, 39 at the time, took over Ray’s duties. The move saved the school nearly $100,000, according to court documents.

The college administration successfully argued that Brown was a better candidate than Ray for the consolidated position. Brown had a doctorate degree (Ray did not) and had more experience with online instruction. However, Brown had no previous experience as a vice president.

The move was part of a larger consolidation of “four dean level or higher” positions, which saved the school a total of $380,000. Ray’s salary at the time of her termination was $93,045.