California State University's chancellor resigned Thursday as allegations surfaced that he mishandled sexual misconduct complaints while serving as campus president at Fresno State.
Politico reported that Joseph I. Castro's announcement followed an hours-long, closed-door meeting of the CSU Board of Trustees to decide if an investigation was warranted.
Castro's resignation was effective immediately.
"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," Castro said in a press release.
In early February, USA Today reported that Castro looked the other way when sexual harassment claims were leveled against Frank Lamas, an administrator he had recruited to the Fresno State campus.
According to the news report, campus administration had received at least a dozen complaints alleging sexual harassment in the six years Lamas had worked for Cal State, leading student affairs and enrollment management.
Instead of disciplining Lamas, USA Today reported, Castro praised him in performance reviews and gave his endorsement for a lifetime achievement award, despite internal campus investigations that validated the sexual harassment claims.
CSU faculty and state lawmakers had been calling for an internal investigation into Castro since the story broke, Politico reported.
California Faculty Association Associate Vice President Meghan O'Donnell told Politico that such behavior happens "all the time" in a Thursday interview.
"It's important for us to recognize that this is systemic," she said, "and part of the problem is the fact that we have very little transparency or public input into the hiring of these senior level administrators."
Castro and Lamas entered into a settlement agreement in September 2020, according to USA Today, that banned Lamas from working for the university, in exchange for $260,000, full benefits and a letter of recommendation from Castro to any other academic jobs Lamas applied for.
Castro was named chancellor of Cal State three weeks later.
In an open letter to students and faculty, Castro apologized and said he regretted promising Lamas the letter of recommendation. He also said that Lamas was removed from campus in 2019 after a formal Title IX claim was filed.
Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Steve Relyea will serve as acting chancellor until the trustees select an interim chancellor, Politico reported.
California State University is the largest system of four-year higher education in the country, with 23 campuses, 477,000 students and 56,000 faculty and staff.
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