The former president of Cal State San Bernardino, who stepped down this year amid a multimillion-dollar discrimination lawsuit, will continue drawing a six-figure salary while he transitions into a new advisory role within the California State University system.
Tomás Morales, who announced last August that he would leave the university at the end of the current academic year, has entered a one-year executive transition program that will pay him $343,920 starting in August. CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia confirmed the arrangement Wednesday during a Board of Trustees meeting, where she also announced Morales’ interim assignment. During the transition period, he will provide guidance on international programs and help strengthen the university system’s global partnerships.
The board also voted unanimously Wednesday to name Morales president emeritus, a largely ceremonial title granted in recognition of his years of service.
The announcement comes just months after CSU agreed to pay $12 million to settle a 2023 lawsuit accusing Morales and Jake Zhu, former dean of the San Bernardino campus’s Palm Desert location, of gender discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Two former administrators, Clare Weber and Anissa Rogers, alleged they were pushed out of their jobs after reporting a gender pay gap and discriminatory harassment to university leadership.
CSU has continued to deny any wrongdoing in the case and determined that Morales remains in good standing, making him eligible for the transition program. Under university policy, executives can be barred from such benefits if the chancellor finds they violated university rules or committed serious misconduct.
Weber, who says she was terminated weeks after emailing Morales to request a raise meant to close what she described as a gender pay gap, argued the former president should not be receiving continued support from the university.
“Male employees at Cal State are protected when they misbehave, when they mistreat women, when they harass them, when they retaliate against them,” Weber said. “The tendency is to protect the university.”
Morales’ office did not respond to a request for comment.
As part of the one-year transition arrangement, Morales will be required to submit monthly reports to the chancellor’s office detailing his activities and accomplishments, according to CSU board documents.
“President Tomás Morales has served Cal State San Bernardino with distinction for 14 years, demonstrating exceptional leadership on behalf of the university and its students,” Garcia told trustees.
Garcia also said Morales will offer guidance and support to incoming Cal State San Bernardino President S. Terri Gomez, who currently serves as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Cal Poly Pomona. Gomez is set to take over the San Bernardino campus on Aug. 3.
Trustees approved a compensation package for Gomez that includes an annual salary of $426,916, a $60,000 annual housing allowance and a $1,000 monthly car allowance. According to the most recent data available from Transparent California, Gomez earned a base salary of $338,255 in 2024.
That same year, 69 of the CSU system’s 118,843 employees earned more than $343,920, according to the California State Controller’s Office. Morales’ 2024 salary of $527,834 ranked sixth-highest in the entire CSU system, trailing only the chancellor and four other campus presidents. By comparison, the average university employee earned $39,870 that year, state records show.
The San Bernardino chapter of the California Faculty Association posted on social media Thursday calling on CSU to investigate administrators accused of enabling gender discrimination and to deny Morales the executive transition benefits.
Morales’ transition assignment will run from Aug. 3, 2026, through Aug. 2, 2027. During that time, he will be covered under the university’s Management Personnel Plan, which grants him the employment rights and benefits afforded to CSU managers and supervisors, according to CSU spokesperson Amy Bentley-Smith.
Bentley-Smith did not respond to questions about what role Morales is expected to fill once the transition period ends — a decision that, according to a 2022 CSU board policy document, should typically be determined in advance.
“We are deeply grateful for President Morales’ exceptional leadership at Cal State San Bernardino and across the university system,” Garcia said at Wednesday’s meeting.
No members of the board’s committee offered comments or questions following Garcia’s announcement.
Original source: CalMatters
