After resignation, CSU chancellor could head to faculty position at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
In resigning under fire for his handling of sexual harassment allegations when president at Fresno State, California State University Chancellor Joseph I. Castro retained retreat rights with tenure as a full professor.
That appointment does not apply systemwide, but according to the CSU is specifically within the Orfalea College of Business at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo as a professor of leadership and public policy.
According to a CSU spokesman, Castro has not informed the university whether he will exercise his retreat rights.
If he does, the reception could range from lukewarm to icy, given the condemnation and calls for independent investigation into Castro in his time at Fresno State.
Since a USA Today story detailed the handling of as many as 12 allegations of sexual harassment centered around former vice president of student affairs Frank Lamas, there have been student protests, a draft resolution of no-confidence from the academic senate at Fresno State and petitions signed calling for a resignation.
A number of state legislators also called for an independent investigation.
When asked about a potential return as a professor at Fresno State, Michael Jenkins, who introduced the no-confidence resolution to the academic senate at Fresno State, said, simply, “It would not go over well.”
But professor emeritus Sudarshan Kapoor said it was important to remember, also, the positive contributions Castro made when at the university and to the community.
“This is a very unfortunate chapter in the history of Fresno State,” Kapoor said. “I have worked with about seven presidents of the university – I think there have been about nine presidents altogether. Dr. Castro was one of the presidents that I really enjoyed working with on several occasions and projects.
“One of the projects that we were working together is the Nelson Mandela project in the Peace Garden. Dr Castro and I were the co-chairs of that committee, and I found him to be a very compassionate, considerate and caring person, very kind and a gentle and noble soul. … This one incident, in my opinion, should not wipe out what he has done for the university. It was during his time that the university became one of the major educational institutions known all over the world, all over the country.”
CSU, Castro settlement not yet finalized
Castro resigned his position as CSU chancellor Thursday amid the backlash and following a closed session of the CSU Board of Trustees, who were meeting to discuss executive personnel matters.
The board in a statement following the resignation said it was not made aware of the concerns over Castro’s handling of those claims or the mediated settlement between the university and its former vice president of student affairs prior to his appointment as chancellor in September 2020, and did not learn of them until this month.
Lamas when separating from the university received $260,000 and a letter of recommendation.
The CSU and Castro have not yet finalized a settlement, according to a CSU spokesman.
In a statement through the CSU chancellor’s office, Castro said: “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.”
This story was originally published February 18, 2022 at 6:19 PM with the headline "After resignation, CSU chancellor could head to faculty position at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo."