A former Columbia University student settled a gender discrimination lawsuit against the school after he was accused of raping a fellow student who received widespread attention for her performance art piece.

Paul Nungesser was accused of raping Emma Sulkowicz in 2012, and the case made international headlines when she carried a mattress on campus for nine months to protest the school's response.

Nungesser was not charged with a crime, and a university investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing.

In 2015, he filed a gender discrimination lawsuit saying Columbia failed to protect him against backlash and harassment.

The details of his settlement remain unclear, but his lawyer announced Thursday: 'We hope that the resolution of the case also ensures that no student will ever have to endure what Paul went through after he was exonerated.'

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Paul Nungesser was accused of raping fellow student Emma Sulkowicz in 2012, who started carrying a mattress around Columbia University in protest of the school's handling of the case

Sulkowicz's senior thesis and performance art piece received widespread attention. Nungesser, who was cleared by the school, filed a Title IX lawsuit against Columbia in 2015

Nungesser's lawyer Andrew Miltenberg, told the Washington Post: 'Together with Paul and his parents, we have fought for three long years.

'It gives Paul a chance to go on with his life and recover from the false accusation against him. We hope that the resolution of the case also ensures that no student will ever have to endure what Paul went through after he was exonerated.'

Sulkowicz, a visual art major at Columbia, claimed Nungesser was a 'serial rapist' and said she and two other young women at the school reported him.

But Columbia cleared Nungesser after a 'diligent and thorough investigation'.

In her senior year, Sulkowicz earned course credit for carrying a 50-pound mattress around campus for a thesis project titled 'Mattress Performance (Carry That Weight)', which was framed as a protest against the university's alleged tolerance of sexual assault.

Sulkowicz, who said she would continue the piece until he was expelled, carried the mattress on stage to receive her diploma at graduation while Nungesser and his parents sat in the crowd.

'Carry that Weight' made international news, and the piece was hailed by art critics as one of the most important art works of the year.

In 2015, Nungesser filed a Title IX lawsuit in Manhattan Federal Court, which stated: '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, which did not name Sulkowicz as a defendant, also claimed Columbia presented the rape allegations as fact on a university-owned website.

On Thursday, Nungesser's lawyer announced a settlement had been reached on Thursday. Pictured, Sulkowicz, who carried the mattress to her graduation

Nungesser's lawsuit was dismissed twice before he appealed. Both parties filed to withdraw the case on July 7, before a settlement was announced Thursday.

The school released a statement that read: 'Columbia recognizes that after the conclusion of the investigation, Paul’s remaining time at Columbia became very difficult for him and not what Columbia would want any of its students to experience.

'Columbia will continue to review and update its policies toward ensuring that every student - accuser and accused, including those like Paul who are found not responsible - is treated respectfully and as a full member of the Columbia community.'

Miltenberg said: 'I think this case fits into the larger debate in that the mark of being called a rapist is a significant one, and it follows you regardless of whether or not the university finds you responsible.'