The California State University system is providing $343,920 to Tomás Morales, the departing president of Cal State San Bernardino, for a year-long advisory role. This payment comes despite Morales being named in a $12 million lawsuit alleging gender discrimination and harassment.
The $343,920 reward for a defendant in a $12 million suit
Chancellor Mildred García announced that Tomás Morales will receive $343,920 to serve in a transition capacity,where he will advise the incoming president, Terri Gomez. According to the report, this arrangement allows Morales to focus on international partnerships and global engagement for the California State University system. However, the appointment is clouded by a 2023 lawsuit filed by two former campus administrators who accused Morales of fostering a culture of harassment and gender discrimination.
The litigation alleged that Tomás Morales subjected female staff to verbal rants and denied equitable pay. While the university settled the $12 million suit to avoid further legal expenses, the source notes that the settlement did not include specific findings against Morales individually. Consequently, the California State University system maintains that Morales remains in "good standing," a status that qualifies him for the lucrative transition role.
A $4 million pattern of executive payouts since 2015
The controversy surrounding Tomás Morales is not an isolated incident but part of a broader systemic trend within the California State University system. As reported in the source, a Los Angeles Times investigation revealed that the university has paid more than $4 million to 11 former executives since 2015 through similar transition agreements. These payments were often tied to vague advisory duties that lacked rigorous accountability or tracking mechanisms.
This pattern of rewarding departing leaders has led to significant internal friction. In response to the public outcry and the findings of the Los Angeles Times, the California State University system recently terminated the transition program for any executives hired after March 2022. The fact that Tomás Morales still qualifies for the program suggests he falls under the older, more permissive guidelines.
Tiffany Jones and the 'betrayal' of San Bernardino students
The decision to compensate Tomás Morales has been met with fierce opposition from faculty and legal advocates. Tiffany Jones, the president of the California Faculty Association's San Bernardino chapter, described the payment as a "stunning failure of accountability" and a "direct betrayal" of the students and staff at Cal State San Bernardino. Jones argued that university funds should be directed toward student needs rather than subsidizing leadership that she characterizes as failed.
Andrew Friedman, the attorney representing the plaintiffs in the discrimination suit, echoed these sentiments, calling the transition payment "a real shame." Friedman asserted that the California State University system continues to struggle with addressing retaliation and harassment, suggesting that these financial rewards signal a lack of genuine institutional reform.
What 'good standing' means after a $12 million settlement
Despite the settlement, several critical details remain opaque regarding the oversight of Tomás Morales's new role . While the university claims he is in "good standing," the source does not clarify what specific metrics will be used to evaluate his work on "international partnerships" or how his advisory relationship with Terri Gomez will be monitored to prevent the recurrence of the behaviors alleged in the lawsuit.
Furthermore, the report highlights a gap in the university's narrative:while Chancellor Mildred García praised the "outstanding leadership" of Tomás Morales during a board of trustees meeting, she omitted any mention of the $12 million litigation.. This silence leaves open the question of whether the California State University board is fully addressing the cultural issues raised by the former administrators or simply managing the optics of a leadership change.
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