California State University Chancellor Joseph I. Castro is under fire amid allegations he failed to properly handle sexual harassment complaints against a former administrator in 2019, just before he ascended to the position he holds now.

Instead of thoroughly investigating multiple complaints of sexual misconduct and other questionable behavior involving Frank Lamas, the former vice president of student affairs and enrollment management at CSU Fresno, Castro — then the university’s president — allowed Lamas to quietly retire.

Under a settlement agreement Lamas signed on Aug. 31, 2020, he was paid $260,000 and provided a glowing letter of recommendation from Castro. Additionally, the settlement called for Lamas to continue working on special assignment for Castro, remotely, until his official retirement date of Dec 31, 2020. Lamas was allowed to return to the campus only if Castro authorized it.

Details of the investigations involving Lamas and his subsequent settlement with Fresno State were first reported by USA Today.

Amid multiple and ongoing complaints against Lamas over alleged sexual harassment and fostering a hostile work environment, CSU Fresno commissioned two administrative investigations into Lamas in November 2019.

Investigator Mary Lee Wegner interviewed dozens of employees in her four-month investigation, hearing reports that Lamas fostered a hostile work environment in which he was prone to bouts of rage, yelling and belittling subordinates, slamming his hands and phones on tables, and sexual harassment and misogynistic behavior.

An alleged victim of Lamas claimed he touched her on the shoulder, lower back, knee and thigh, put his arm around her, grabbed and massaged her arm and adjusted her bra strap, even after being she told him she did not like to be touched. He often would gawk at her body parts, as well as other women’s, and tell sexually explicit stories, according to Wegner’s report.

The scandal prompted two state lawmakers, Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, and Assemblyman Jose Medina, D-Riverside, to demand an immediate investigation by the CSU Board of Trustees into Castro’s handling of the allegations against Lamas.

As chair of the Senate Education Committee and a mother and grandmother, Leyva said in a statement Friday she was “extremely troubled” by the news.

“If those allegations are proven to be accurate, I would then ask Chancellor Castro to immediately resign from his position since it would call into clear question his ability to lead the California State University system and its thousands of employees,” Leyva said.

Medina, chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee, said, “It is imperative that we determine the accuracy of the allegations and ensure that our leaders of higher education are truly prioritizing the safety of students, faculty and staff.”

Castro said Friday he welcomes an independent investigation.

“While I followed CSU policy and took the steps to ensure this individual could never work on a CSU campus, I recognize that certain aspects of the process should have been handled better — this is especially true of the hurt caused by my communications to the community during that time,” Castro said. “My expectation is that an independent investigation will not only help me in my growth as a leader, but also strengthen the work of the entire Cal State system.”

CSU Board of Trustees Chair Lillian Kimbell said, “I appreciate Chancellor Castro’s receptivity and desire for an independent investigation. I intend to ask my board colleagues in the coming days to support these steps, as I know it will help us improve practices and policies for the future.”

Lamas agreed to retired at a time when two internal investigations were underway based on multiple complaints about alleged sexual harassment and fostering a hostile work environment.

“The employee continues to contest the findings against him from the investigations,” according to the settlement agreement, obtained Friday by the Southern California News Group. “The employee also contends that the investigator’s reports were biased against him and that the investigator’s process violated his due process rights.”

In the letter of recommendation from Castro, he praised Lama for his “bold leadership.” “Frank is a seasoned administrator who places students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, at the forefront of his thinking as it relates to actions and decisions,” he wrote.

In a statement, Lamas said he was dogged by “anonymous … malicious and untrue allegations” against him shortly after he started working at Cal State Fresno and considered leaving the university, but that Castro persuaded him to stay.

“My positive track record throughout my career speaks volumes for my professionalism, integrity and character spanning four decades,” he said. “In 2019, I no longer felt I could continue at the university given additional allegations were made and in order to avoid the time and expense of a long protracted legal situation, I agreed to a third-party mediation to resolve all disputes and claims.

Castro first learned about the allegations swirling around Lamas when he received an anonymous letter about him partying late at night around town.

“This complaint alleged nothing about behavior or activities related to Dr. Lamas’ employment or work conduct,” Fresno state officials said in a timeline detailing allegations and disciplinary actions against Lamas. “Dr. Castro had a conversation with Dr. Lamas and shared the concern about how it might look, despite the allegations not being about Fresno State employees or students.”

In October 2015, a California State University Employees Union representative shared second-hand allegations and the name of a student who had voiced concerns about Lamas via email to Castro.

Later that month, Fresno State Vice President Deborah Adishian-Astone directed the university’s Title IX coordinator, Jan Parten, to follow up on information provided by the union representative to Castro. Title IX protects individuals from discrimination based on gender in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.

However, the student who voiced concerns decided not to file a formal complaint because she feared retaliation, Fresno State officials said.

In May 2016, Fresno State hired a consultant to conduct a conduct “climate assessment” of the university’s student affairs division with a focus on leadership. The consultant presented the finding to Lamas the following month.

In late October 2019, a Fresno State employee alerted her immediate supervisor in the university’s human resources department that Lamas had created a sexually hostile and otherwise abusive work environment.

Wegner said in an April 7, 2020, report there is a “preponderance of evidence” Lamas had engaged in inappropriate workplace behavior.

Such behavior included Lamas touching the employee’s shoulder, lower back and knee, thigh, putting his arm around her, grabbing and massaging her arm and adjusting her bra strap, the report says.

Lamas also made inappropriate comments and shared stories with potential sexual overtones with the employee and attempted to meet with her behind closed doors and closed blinds, according to the report.

Lamas’ repeated denials that he engaged in any such conduct, and the endorsements he received from colleagues at Cal State Fresno and other universities about his positive workplace behavior, were outweighed by other credible evidence that his behavior toward the employee was inappropriate, Wegner wrote.

The report’s findings were based on interviews with 26 witnesses along with letters, reports, surveys and emails.

Castro, in a Thursday statement to Fresno State faculty and staff, apologized for his handling of the sexual harassment allegations against Lamas.

“I want to start by recognizing and apologizing to any member of the Fresno State community hurt by Dr. Lamas’ behavior and actions,” he said. “I also want to acknowledge that I recognize, in hindsight, that the way in which I characterized Dr. Lamas’ departure from Fresno State may have further triggered the survivors of Dr. Lamas’ actions. For that, I’m deeply sorry.”

Castro said Fresno State acted on the allegations against Lamas in 2019 as soon as it had an actionable Title IX complaint.

“One of the most significant challenges facing campus leaders is often the ability to formally investigate allegations,” Castro said in his statement. “This reality was ever-present with Dr. Lamas. While there were earlier allegations, it wasn’t until 2019 that someone was willing to go through a formal Title IX process. To be clear, I recognize for survivors that the Title IX process can be one that is difficult, and I deeply respect their decisions either way.

“The bottom line is nothing excuses Dr. Lamas’ behavior, and I’m sorry for those who experienced it.”

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