Fresno State and its former president absorb hits in CSU sexual harassment investigation
Former California State University chancellor and Fresno State president Joseph I. Castro wrote not just one but at least eight letters of recommendation for vice president of student affairs Frank Lamas while fully aware the former administrator was the subject of sexual harassment allegations during his tenure at the university.
That is one of very few revelations in an independent investigation into how Fresno State handled those allegations, which was released on Thursday by the CSU Board of Trustees.
The report, which was produced by Los Angeles-based attorney Mary Lee Wegner, said Fresno State took some action to explore and address each of these reports and while some responses substantially complied with executive order 1096, the CSU policy prohibiting discrimination and sexual harassment, others did not. There also were notice, record keeping and other deficiencies in its responses to allegations that started in 2014 and continued to 2019, and best practices were not always followed.
Castro failed to document allegations against Lamas, and continued to provide support even after an investigation confirmed alleged inappropriate behavior.
The letters of recommendation included two for presidencies within the CSU and were written, according to the report, while failing to inform the chancellor or others involved with the search about Lamas’ history. Castro also let fester an environment where administrators who are mandatory reporters of harassment claims under CSU policy feared coming forward given a close personal relationship between the two.
“Lamas’ intimidating demeanor and comments about what happens to people when they complain about their bosses, along with the narrative he created about being good friends with the president, created a culture of fear that silenced employees,” Wegner wrote in the summary report.
“Although people had information about when, how and where to report, and that policies prohibit retaliation for doing so, they lacked faith in the administration’s ability or willingness to protect them and take meaningful action against Lamas.”
Those fears of retaliation were detailed by vice president of administration Debbie Adishian-Astone and Diana Ralls, who served as Castro’s chief of staff, in March in an interview with The Bee.
Castro, who was president at Fresno State from 2013 to 2020 before becoming CSU chancellor, resigned that position in February amid a storm of criticism and calls for an independent investigation into his handling of the allegations against Lamas.
While Fresno State president, Castro did not formally discipline Lamas, who he had recruited from the University of Texas-Arlington. He instead provided personal counsel and conducted a climate assessment of student affairs. Castro also approved merit pay increases for Lamas when approved by the CSU for Management Personnel Plan administrators and one 5% equity raise for increased responsibilities around enrollment management.
When departing the university, the former vice president of student affairs received $260,000 through a mediated settlement and promise of a letter of recommendation.
The settlement also required Lamas to retire at the end of 2020, relinquish his retreat rights, release CSU from all claims and agree never to work on campus or within the CSU system.
The CSU board said that it was unaware of any concerns when Castro was appointed chancellor in September 2020. The settlement with Lamas was authorized by former chancellor Timothy White; the board delegates to the chancellor the authority and responsibility to resolve claims and settle litigation.
With the investigation by Wegner, the board has engaged Cozen O’Connor’s Institutional Response Group to conduct a comprehensive system-wide assessment of its 23 campuses with a goal of providing insights, recommendations and resources to help advance Title IX and civil rights training, awareness, prevention, intervention, compliance, accountability, and support systems.
The state Joint Legislative Audit Committee also has approved an investigation into the handling of sexual harassment allegations by the CSU and three of its campuses including Fresno State.
That audit request, which was co-signed by 43 state legislators including Jim Patterson, a Republican from Fresno and Fresno State graduate, is to begin once the CSU completed its investigation.
The university under president Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval also has a task force examining the process of reporting and investigating discrimination, sexual harassment and other claims.
“We have begun doing important work,” Jiménez-Sandoval said, in a statement to the university community. “The foundational work we have already undertaken, in combination with a thorough study of the forthcoming independent report, will allow Fresno State to improve the overall credibility of the system-wide and institutional processes and procedures we use to safeguard against sexual and other harassment and misconduct.
“I remain fully committed to promoting an inclusive, supportive culture that is worthy of our vibrant Fresno State community.”
According to the summary report, there were no written complaints about Lamas’ behavior until Oct. 29, 2019, when a graduate student/employee accused Lamas of sexual harassment and bullying. Prior to that complaint, reports alleged he had engaged in partying off campus, verbal gender-based misconduct, bullying, staring at a female student-employee and retaliation.
There were nine reports in total, seven between mid-2014 to August 2016 and two in 2019. Several reports were anonymous, although at least six known employees experienced or were aware of Lamas’ alleged misconduct during the relevant time period. Some reports involved conduct that, even if true, either was not covered by policies or may not rise to the level of an executive order 1096 violation.
Castro’s failure to more aggressively respond to reports of the alleged misconduct allowed it continue, according to the report, because there were no serious repercussions for it. The only actions Castro took as Lamas’ supervisor were to orally counsel him, persuade (rather than order) him to attend a training session in 2016, which he also attended as a show of support and have windows installed in Lamas’ office and division.
This story was originally published September 29, 2022 at 1:39 PM.