Joseph I. Castro, former Fresno State and CSU leader with complicated legacy, dies at 58
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- Joseph I. Castro, former Fresno State president, died at 58 after cancer battle.
- Castro broke barriers as CSU's first Latino and Californian chancellor in 2021.
- Colleagues and family praised his lifelong commitment to education and mentoring.
Educator and trailblazer Joseph I. Castro, who rose from humble roots in Hanford to become the first San Joaquin Valley native and Latino to serve as president of Fresno State and then later CSU chancellor, died Sunday after battling cancer. He was 58.
Castro’s storybook career in higher education leadership abruptly ended in 2022 due to the mishandling of sexual harassment cases under his watch as Fresno State president. He had been appointed chancellor of the CSU system in 2021, just 13 months before resigning over the allegations.
Castro, the grandson of San Joaquin Valley farmworkers and the first in his family to attend college, was appointed Fresno State president in May 2013 after serving as vice chancellor of student academic affairs at UC San Francisco and other leadership positions within the University of California system at campuses in Berkeley, Davis, Merced and Santa Barbara.
He was the first Latino to lead Fresno State, appointed to that post 100 years after a great grandfather had immigrated from Mexico to help build a railroad through the Valley.
During Castro’s seven-year tenure at the university, enrollment climbed to a record number and graduation rates increased, as did its diversity, particularly the number of Hispanic students on campus. In his first five years as university president, Hispanic enrollment in the fall semester went from 40.6% of all students in 2013 to 49.3% in 2017. It was 60.1% in 2024.
Castro was selected as the CSU president of the year in 2018 by the California State Student Association, along with the District 4 man of the year by the Fresno City Council. The Consulate of Mexico in 2017 honored Castro with the Ohtli Award, its highest honor to non-citizens of Mexico for his contributions to the well being of the Mexican, Mexican-American and Hispanic communities.
Ohtli, in the Aztec’ language Nahuatl, means pathway.
“No better example of leadership is the one demonstrated by president Joseph I. Castro, who has worked tirelessly to promote higher education to all, regardless of immigration and economic status, and who encourages his students to have pride in their culture and heritage,” said Vicente Sánchez Ventura, the consul of Mexico at that time.
From Fresno State president to CSU chancellor
The Fresno State president was on the rise, and in September 2020 he was appointed the eighth chancellor of California State University, the largest public university system in the country with its 23 campuses. He replaced a retiring Timothy White, a Fresno State graduate.
But Castro’s career crashed just 13 months after he took office following the publication of a story detailing the mishandling of sexual harassment allegations during his tenure at Fresno State that were filed against a former university administrator.
A subsequent investigation initiated by the CSU board of trustees and conducted by the Los Angeles-based attorney Mary Lee Wegner found that Castro had a “blind spot” for matters involving vice president for student affairs Frank Lamas, who he had recruited to Fresno State and maintained a friendly relationship with during their time working at the university.
The report also found that Castro failed to document allegations against Lamas and continued to provide support even after an investigation confirmed alleged inappropriate behavior by Lamas. That included writing eight letters of recommendation, two for presidencies within the CSU, while failing to inform the chancellor or others within the search processes at those campuses about the history of allegations against Lamas.
Castro resigned under fire, two weeks after the story was published by USA Today, saying, “I have been honored to serve the California State University for more than eight years, including as its eighth chancellor, and the decision to resign is the most difficult of my professional life. While I disagree with many aspects of recent media reports and the ensuing commentary, it has become clear to me that resigning at this time is necessary so that the CSU can maintain its focus squarely on its educational mission and the impactful work yet to be done.”
With retreat rights to the Orfalea College of Business at Cal Poly written into his contract, Castro taught public policy and leadership classes in the spring quarter in 2023 amid calls for investigations into his actions while president at Fresno State and protests at Cal Poly and across the CSU system, including a no-confidence resolution passed by the academic senate at the campus where he had served as president.
It stated: “The Academic Senate of California State University, Fresno notes that through former Chancellor Castro’s words and actions in this matter, he has violated the trust of not only the students, staff and faculty of the CSU but also the people of the state of California. Therefore, (the) Academic Senate of California State University, Fresno affirms that Dr. Castro has demonstrated that he not only does not deserve to hold the rank of tenured professor but that he is unqualified to teach and/or conduct research in leadership and public policy. …”
Castro fired back, calling the resolution wrong and misleading in a letter to academic senate chairman Raymond Hall. “As a man of color, I am keenly aware of the historical conscious and unconscious bias in university policies and practices as it relates to women and people of color. I have spent my career working to make universities like Fresno State more diverse, equitable and inclusive,” he wrote, in a letter obtained by The Fresno Bee in 2022.
“I ask you and other members of the Academic Senate to reflect on the resolution you adopted regarding my handling of a complex Title IX matter and why it is biased in concerning ways because of who I am. You and your colleagues have the power to face up to bias within the Academic Senate and rectify it when it is evident.”
Castro taught at Cal Poly for 13 months, retiring in May 2024 due to what the university called serious health concerns. Public statements, limited mostly to an occasional social media post on the Los Angeles Dodgers or past colleagues or inspirations, slowed to a trickle.
Reaction from community to Joe Castro’s passing
His family issued a statement through spokeswoman Patti Waid.
“As his family, we take comfort in knowing that Joe’s life was guided by a desire to open doors of opportunity for others,” his loved ones said. “From his days as a young child in Head Start to his later years in higher education, he held fast to the belief that education could strengthen families and transform communities. His influence continues in the many people he encouraged, supported, and inspired along the way.”
Several Valley officials reacted to Castro’s passing, including Fresno Mayor Jerry P. Dyer.
“I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my dear friend, Joseph Castro. He was a visionary in the education sector whose leadership and dedication opened doors for countless students and families across our community. He always encouraged students to ‘Be Bold!’ and that spirit will live on through the lives he touched. His legacy of service and passion for creating opportunities will continue to inspire us all. My thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.”
Castro is survived by his wife of 33 years, Mary; his sons, Isaac and Jess; his daughter, Lauren; and his daughter-in-law, Marilyn.
“First and foremost a husband, father, and man of faith, Castro lived with humility, compassion, and devotion to service. He took joy in teaching and mentoring hundreds of students and faculty throughout his 35-year career,” Waid said in a statement.
His family expressed gratitude to the UC Irvine medical team for its extraordinary compassion and professionalism, Waid said.
This story was originally published August 25, 2025 at 11:38 AM.
