**This story was updated at 2:26 p.m. on Sept. 27**

On Thursday, Sept. 26,  it was ruled by a Duval County judge that former UNF Dean Mark Tumeo will not be allowed to return to UNF. 

On Oct. 2, 2018, Tumeo was found engaging in a sex act on campus. One day later, Tumeo resigned his position of Dean of the College of Computing, Engineering and Construction. Tumeo later claimed that he had been pressured to resign by then-interim Provost Pam Challey. Tumeo filed a lawsuit against the UNF Board of Trustees, claiming that he was coerced to resign, invalidating the legitimacy of his resignation. 

On Sept. 26, Tumeo’s lawsuit was denied and his resignation was ruled legitimate. 

“The plaintiff has failed to establish that circumstances prevented no alternative but to resign,” the report from the Duval County Courthouse said. 

Spinnaker reached out to both plaintiff and defendants. Both declined to comment.

Spinnaker will continue to update this story as it develops.

__

For more information or news tips, or if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns, contact editor@unfspinnaker.com.