A former Elmhurst University administrator is suing the school in federal court, claiming she was fired because of her race and age after being told on her first day that she would only get one year in the job.

Elaine Blair, who is Black and was 67 at the time she filed suit, served as EU's director of academic advising from September 5, 2023, until her termination on September 26, 2024. She filed the complaint on February 23 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Blair v. Elmhurst University, case no. 26-02035). Patch.com first reported on the case June 4; the Elmhurst Leader published a detailed account June 13.

Blair alleges that Phillip Riordan, then EU's vice president for student affairs, told her "we are only giving you a year" when she started. She also alleges her supervisor told her twice, "We are going to run you away from here." Blair alleges in the complaint that she was promised an administrative assistant, as her predecessor had one, but never received one.

The lawsuit names a comparator: Dana Sample, EU's current director of academic advising, who is described in court documents as White and at least 10 years younger than Blair. Sample had worked at EU since December 2019 and was promoted to the director role in January 2025, three months after Blair's firing. Blair alleges Sample was insubordinate, contradicted her instructions, and raised her voice toward Blair in front of staff. EU denied those claims in court filings, according to the Leader's reporting.

Blair also alleges she received no discipline or negative performance feedback before her termination. EU disputes this in its court response, saying it attempted to provide Blair with training on various systems but that she failed to utilize them and missed scheduled training meetings.

EU spokesperson Ben Loewe, the university's interim managing senior director of marketing and communications, said the "university cannot comment on personnel matters or pending litigation. We stand behind our employment policies and practices." Blair's attorney, Joshua McCann, also declined to comment.

Riordan retired from EU in 2025 and could not be reached for comment. The university named a student award after him in May 2026.

EU faced a separate discrimination claim in 2024 from former music adjunct professor Louis Yoelin, who alleged his annually renewed contract was canceled due to his religion and race. That case was dismissed October 15, 2024, after the parties reached a private settlement.

Both sides are scheduled to participate in a settlement conference before a judge on Tuesday, July 28, at 10:30 a.m.