After just over one year of being appointed Chancellor of the California State University (CSU), Joseph I. Castro will be resigning from the position, effective immediately.
On Feb. 4, CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB) president, Edwards Ochoa forwarded an email to the CSUMB community from Chancellor Castro, addressing how he handled a 2019 Title IX complaint against CSU Fresno’s vice president of student affairs, Frank Lamas.
Castro explained, in order to expedite Lamas’s removal from Fresno’s campus and ensure he would not be allowed to work at any other CSU campus, Castro agreed to a settlement in which he had to write Lamas a letter of reference he could use for other jobs.
However, Castro did not disclose in his email that this settlement also included a $260,000 payout and retirement package. His letter of recommendation also did not disclose the investigation against Lamas or why he was removed from campus.
While Castro’s email implied he had intention to improve the CSU’s efforts for the prevention and redress of sexual miscounduct, it appears he will not be sticking around to see it through.
In light of this, the Board of Trustees has announced they intend to launch a systemwide Title IX assessment. They stated the goal of the assessment is to provide “insights, recommendations and resources to help advance CSU’s Title IX and civil rights training, awareness, prevention, intervention, compliance, accountability, and support systems.”
The assessments will begin in March at Fresno’s campus.
The Board of Trustees also has yet to appoint a new chancellor to fill Castro’s position and they are currently finalizing a succession plan to replace him. For the time being, Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer, Steve Relyea will serve as acting chancellor.