A male student accused of raping his classmate has sued Columbia University for failing to protect him against backlash and harassment . Authorities rejected Emma Sulkowicz 's case that Paul Nungesser , a German citizen , was a 'serial rapist ' who assaulted her after class . Nonetheless , the case gathered international attention as Sulkowicz , a senior majoring in visual arts , publicly paraded her mattress in protest , calling for his indictment . And according to Nungesser 's lawsuit citing 'gender-based harassment and defamation ' , Columbia presented the allegations as fact on a university-owned website . Scroll down for video . 'No protection ' : Paul Nungesser is suing Columbia University for allowing Emma Sulkowicz to parade the school and take campus-provided transport with her mattress in protest against him , calling him a rapist . The lawsuit was filed in Manhattan federal court on Thursday , three days after a judge tossed out another gender-based lawsuit brought by a male student against Columbia University . Defendants include the school , its board of trustees , President Lee C. Bollinger and Professor Jon Kessler . The lawsuit sought unspecified damages . 'Columbia University 's effective sponsorship of the gender-based harassment and defamation of Paul resulted in an intimidating , hostile , demeaning ... learning and living environment , ' the lawsuit said . Roger Hornsby , a Columbia spokesman , said the school had no comment . Email messages requesting comment from Bollinger and Kessler were not immediately returned . In his lawsuit , Nungesser said a Columbia-owned website had presented as fact that he sexually assaulted Sulkowicz , a senior majoring in visual arts . It said that the school allowed Sulkowicz to carry a mattress into classes , the library and campus-provided transportation as part of her senior thesis , that Kessler approved the 'Mattress Project ' for her course credit and that Sulkowicz 's pledge to carry her mattress to graduation may prevent Nungesser and his parents , who 'd like to fly from Germany , from participating in graduation ceremonies . 'Day-to-day life is unbearably stressful , as Emma and her mattress parade around campus each and every day , ' the suit said . As a result of publicity that resulted in media reports in 35 countries , the lawsuit said , Nungesser 'has been subjected to severe , pervasive ... and threatening behavior by other Columbia students , believing that Paul is a ` serial rapist , ' whenever Paul has appeared at university activities . ' Nungesser became the target of international attacks following the claims , which were dismissed by a judge . The complaint also said he wants to stay in the United States , where he has been dating a girlfriend for over a year , and is seeking consulting work in New York , though job prospects have been 'severely jeopardized ' by the school 's support of Sulkowicz . In an email responding to a request for comment , Sulkowicz wrote : ' I think it 's ridiculous that Paul would sue not only the school but one of my past professors for allowing me to make an art piece . 'It 's ridiculous that he would read it as a ` bullying strategy , ' especially given his continued public attempts to smear my reputation , when really it 's just an artistic expression of the personal trauma I 've experienced at Columbia . If artists are not allowed to make art that reflect on our experiences , then how are we to heal ? ' Sulkowicz has argued her case was badly mishandled by the school disciplinary panel after she reported in 2013 she was raped in her dorm months before . She was among 23 students who sued Columbia last year , saying it mishandled sexual assault cases . She also attended President Barack Obama 's State of the Union address in January at the invitation of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand , D-N.Y .
Paul Columbia University 's was accused of raping former friend Emma Sulkowicz . The case attracted international attention as she paraded her mattress everywhere she went in protest , calling for Columbia University 's 's indictment . A judge threw out the case which branded Columbia University 's a 'serial rapist ' He is now suing the school for failing to protect him from backlash . Columbia University 's , who is German , says the school presented the claims as fact .