Disgraced California college president accused of harassment to earn outrageous six-figure salary

A California university president accused of fostering a workplace where gender discrimination and harassment were allegedly “standard operating procedure” is walking away with a $343,920 taxpayer-funded paycheck.The move comes just months after the California State University system paid $12 million to settle the explosive lawsuit that named him.Despite being accused of creating a toxic work environment, outgoing Cal State San Bernardino President Tomas Morales was approved Wednesday for a one-year executive transition assignment by the California State University Board of Trustees.The decision immediately drew outrage from the attorney who represented the two former administrators behind the lawsuit.CSU has a significant problem when it comes to dealing with gender discrimination and harassment and retaliation, and we’ve seen nothing to date to show that it’s taking this issue seriously,” Andrew Friedman, a partner with Helmer Friedman LLP who represented the two administrators, Clare Weber and Anissa Rogers, told The Los Angeles Times.The lawsuit, filed in 2023, accused Morales of discriminating against women, directing “ranting” tirades at female employees, approving lower salaries for women than similarly situated male colleagues and fostering a workplace where harassment had become “standard operating procedure.”The complaint also named former Palm Desert campus dean Jake Zhu and the CSU Board of Trustees.According to the lawsuit, Morales’ alleged conduct was reported to then-interim Chancellor Jolene Koester, who “did absolutely nothing,” and the university allegedly retaliated against Weber and Rogers after they raised concerns about Morales and Zhu.Morales, Zhu and the Board of Trustees denied the allegations in court filings.The California State University system settled the lawsuit in March, while denying wrongdoing and saying it resolved the case “to avoid further costs of litigation.”Rogers won a $6 million jury award in Oct...