Silencing the Truth: UC Irvine’s Unjust Removal of Dean Frances Contreras, Ph.D.

Friends,

Please share this far and wide.

I count myself among the many admirers of the prolific and highly respected scholar Dr. Frances Contreras, who was unjustly removed from her position as first Latina Dean of the School of Education at the University of California Irvine. Her removal appears to be a clear act of retaliation for speaking out against serious misconduct—a deeply troubling breach of university policy and fundamental principles of fairness.

What happened to Dr. Contreras is both outrageous and heartbreakingly familiar to so many women of color in academia who dare to lead with integrity, speak truth to power, and advance justice even when it challenges entrenched interests.

As a nationally recognized advocate for educational justice, Frances was removed without warning, without a mandated five-year review, and with no transparency. Her whistleblower complaint outlines a disturbing pattern of retaliation, intimidation, and institutional neglect after she raised urgent concerns, including threats to safety, financial mismanagement, and abuse of power.

Rather than address these issues, university leaders appear to have punished the messenger—hoping perhaps to silence her, and anyone else who might follow. But Frances refuses to be silenced. Her courage in standing up not only for herself, but for the ethical treatment of students, faculty, and staff, is powerful and deeply inspiring. 

I am appalled to learn about what is happening to Dr. Contreras and proud to stand beside her in this fight for justice.

I also want to thank Orange County Register reporter Allyson Vergara for bringing this story to light with care and clarity. Journalism like this is essential to holding institutions accountable.

We are watching. We are outraged. And we are standing with Frances.

—Angela Valenzuela

UC Irvine professor files complaint over removal as dean

Frances Contreras, who was hired in 2022 to lead the UCI School of Education, says she was denied a proper review and calls for an investigation

Frances Contreras, former dean of the UC Irvine School of Education and the college’s first Latina dean, was removed from her position suddenly in March, without a formal review process. Contreras and a number of civil rights organizations, are calling for a formal review of the decision. She is pictured at the university on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

By ALLYSON VERGARA | avergara@scng.com | Orange County Register

UPDATED: May 23, 2025 at 7:05 AM PDT

A prominent educator at UC Irvine is speaking up against what she calls

retaliation by school officials.


Frances Contreras was ousted from her position as the former dean of the

UCI School of Education. Contreras said that she received the notice March 31

without warning, preventing her from engaging in a five-year review - a

process she said is afforded to her peers under University of California policy

- and is calling for a formal investigation.


Contreras, who began her role in 2022, became _the _University of California's

first Latina/Chicana dean to head a school of education in the UC system.

During her three-year tenure, Contreras claims she went through incidents of

defamation, intimidation, bullying, "retaliation and outright discrimination"

from UCI Provost Hal Stern and leaders across his units - including the former

School of Education dean, the former assistant dean, and various faculty

members within the Office of Academic Personnel, including the Vice Provost.

On April 29, Contreras filed a formal grievance complaint through UCI's

Whistleblower Office.

"I was repeatedly met with inaction, retaliation and resistance, ultimately

leading to my unjustified removal from the deanship," Contreras said in an

interview. She called the move a "further attempt to silence" and harm her

reputation.


Contreras said she raised "legitimate concerns about serious misconduct and

potential violations of law and policy," referring to "deeply troubling incidents"

at UCI that caused her to request immediate action from university

leadership - incidents she said were then further enabled and ignored.


In her formal complaint, Contreras alleges that UCI retaliated against her for

reporting "numerous violations of law, university policy and ethics" by School

of Education personnel and former faculty . She alleged specific incidents,

such as in late 2023, when she learned that a faculty member experiencing a

mental health crisis reportedly "purchased and housed firearms on the UCI

campus," stayed on campus, and "behaved erratically" following news that

she would be terminated. Contreras - then the education dean - said this was

"in reckless disregard" of school safety.


The complaint also alleged the school's reported failure to conduct an audit of

a $3 million donor gift, after Contreras said she discovered that $225,000 of

the grant was allocated to an outside organization "for administrative

support." Repeated requests for an audit were, she said, "flatly refused."


Another alleged incident was experiencing abusive conduct and intimidation

from a fellow professor/former School of Education dean, which Contreras

reported but "the university failed to fully investigate, and refused to

interview witnesses ." That alleged faculty member, whom she named an

abuser, had "publicly declared he would destroy Contreras," the complaint

said.


She also alleged threats to her personal safety and that of other school

members, computer fraud and abuse, misuse of university funds, differential

treatment and "clear diminution of power and authority" as School of

Education dean compared with her predecessor.


She claimed conflicts of interest within the Office of Academic Personnel,

where she was reporting her concerns - all of which, her complaint said, were

ignored or "met with open hostility." One former faculty member allegedly

blocked Contreras' access to the School of Education's electronic folders, and

instructed staff to restrict her from accessing the school's listservs.

Frances Contreras, former dean of the UC Irvine School of Education and the college's first Latina dean, was removed from her position suddenly in March, without a formal review process. Contreras and a number of civil rights organizations, are calling for a formal review of the decision. She is pictured at the
university on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Contreras called it "a culture of retaliation and silencing" those like herself

who spoke out "about serious misconduct" and violations of UC, state and

federal policies. She said that there was a "complete refusal" to investigate

her alleged concerns by campus management who, rather than "taking

accountability and appropriate corrective measures," instead "enabled

misconduct by shielding unethical actors, ignoring potential violations of law

and policy."


Contreras was "abruptly" terminated from her deanship on March 31, denied

a five-year review process, and experienced a substantial salary decrease, the

complaint said.


"The timing of her removal, which came shortly after she called for a

thorough and impartial investigation into her complaints, illustrates the

retaliatory nature of her removal," the complaint said. "The individuals who

made the decision to remove Dr. Contreras from her deanship were the same

individuals whose improper conduct Dr. Contreras reported.''


In a statement, UCI officials said they "would not comment on individual

personnel matters," but "takes all concerns seriously."


UC Irvine is "committed to providing a respectful and inclusive environment,

free from discrimination, intimidation, or retaliation," the statement

continued. "Allegations involving university policy or state and federal law are

reviewed through established procedures and addressed in accordance with

applicable policies and legal requirements.''


Internal formal reviews are part of the UC employee dismissal process,

According to UC policy, and employees may file a complaint.


According to UC_policy, deans are appointed for a normal five-year period and

are subject to reappointment, made on a five-year basis. The UC chancellor

may also consider a salary increase after a five-year review results in a

recommendation to reappoint the dean, identifying "significant achievements

and/or sustained excellent administrative performance.''


Contreras, a first-generation Latina college student from Norwalk, said that

equity for underrepresented communities was the crux of her work in

education. Being a leader in education carries with it a responsibility "to speak

out (and) stand up against bullying and intimidation.''


"Being a leader fearful of speaking truth to power is not leadership," she said.

Prior to her post as dean, Contreras served as the associate vice chancellor

for equity, diversity and inclusion, and as a professor of education studies at

UC San Diego, where she has more than 15 years of administrative leadership

experience. She helped to launch a Latinx academic experience program and

spearheaded UCSD's efforts to become a Hispanic-Serving Institution. She

Outside of the UC, Conteras worked at the University of Washington's College

of Education, where she led higher education programs and researched

learning opportunities for Latino students.


At the time of her appointment in 2021, UCI officials - including Stern and

Chancellor Howard Gillman - called Contreras "perfectly aligned with the

strengths and far-reaching impact of the school," and "an accomplished

administrator with a record of driving equity and diversity."


In late December, the school honored her on its social media pages for "her

unwavering advocacy for equity and diversity, making an impact that inspires

communities near and far."


"I saw this role as an opportunity to utilize my background and skills to

support the faculty and students as well as to serve as a leader and mentor in

a field where Latina academics and leaders remain dramatically

underrepresented," Contreras, who remains a faculty member at UCI, said.


A number of Latino civil rights organizations, UCI faculty and alumni backed

Contreras in her quest for an internal review under UC_ policy.


Tonia Reyes Uranga, president of the League of United Latin American

Citizens (LULAC) Council #3309, wrote in a letter of support that she was

"concerned that speaking out about violations is not seen as an exercise in

free speech by UC Irvine."


Latinx faculty and alumni groups within the UC system also demanded swift

answers from management.


In a March 31 group letter, a group of Latinx professors - hailing from UC

Santa Cruz, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Merced and UC San Diego -

agreed that "without prejudging the merits of the case, we think there are

enough red flags to require an immediate formal independent investigation."


Neptaly Taty Aguilera, co-chair of the UC Chicanx Latinx Alumni Association,

recommended that Latinx representation be part of any formal review

process. She recognized Contreras for her leadership and academic

excellence, especially in uplifting the Latino community.


"We want to ensure that the UC system is transparent regarding how Latino

Jose F. Moreno, president of Los Amigos of Orange County, which has many

active UCI alumni, said he was "proud and thrilled" when Contreras was

named the dean of the School of Education. He called for a full, independent

investigation so that Contreras' "willingness to raise her voice to bring

attention to these disturbing acts will not be cause for retaliation or isolation

against her."

Moving forward, as she awaits a response from the UC, Contreras is confident

in her quest for justice that "the truth will come to light.''


But she also worried about the "broader efforts of this injustice on other

women and leaders of color who choose to stand up when confronted with

wrongdoing ... I fear that UCI's retaliation may have a chilling effect.''


She connected her experience with the Trump administration's ongoing

campaign to end "DEI" initiatives in public schools, saying she was

"disheartened" by the "vigorous attacks on DEI and concerted efforts to roll

back progress for underrepresented groups.'' She said these actions will have

"devastating reverberations in all corners of society.''


Women of color in academia have been "targets of some of the most

egregious attacks" - especially women leaders seen as a threat to

"longstanding power imbalances and structural inequalities," Contreras said.

"We see pervasive attacks against women who write about structural

oppression, who challenge systemic power dynamics, and who battle against

having their identities and contributions erased from history," she continued.

"The next generation of women and scholars of color are watching with hope

and anticipation that we use our voices to advocate for their rights and a

place in the academy and positions of leadership.''

Originally Published: May 23, 2025 at 7:00 AM PDT

"University of Texas hits record undergraduate Hispanic student enrollment," by Megan Menchaca

This is historic. The University of Texas at Austin is now an "Hispanic Serving Institution," or simply, an "HSI." HSI's are the federally-designated analogue to "HBCU's," Historically Black Colleges and Universities. What an achievement! Dr. Deborah Parra Medina's comments in this piece by journalist Megan Menchaca are on point. Becoming an HSI will benefit students and the campus writ large.

It is about time that the student body look like Texas. We also need many more Latina/o faculty since the research literature shows that having faculty that reflect your background contributes to positive educational outcomes for all students, most especially for those of color throughout the P-20 pipeline. The issue of the under-representation of Latina/o faculty is a major point taken up in the benchmark October 8, 2019 "Hispanic Equity Report" that is largely about pay equity. The HER was authored by the Independent Equity Committee comprised of eight Latina/o full professors at UT. 

Inspired by the faculty authors, there is now a parallel  report issued by the University of Texas’ Hispanic Faculty and Staff Association. Hence "servingness" is both process and goal that if executed well and in good faith, promises to yield dividends to our state and nation far into the future.

A published study by Dr. Frances Contreras (2017)—who is now the Dean of the School of Education at the University of California Irvine—speaks directly to this problematic of an under-representation of faculty in our nation's higher education institutions by underscoring key findings on faculty diversity in the research literature:

"Faculty diversity plays a key role in providing students with access to mentors, role models, diverse perspectives and approaches to pedagogy in college which helps to challenge the world views of college students and helps them to develop their critical thinking and analytical skills (Hurtado, 2001; Hurtado & Ruiz, 2012, Hurtado & Ruiz Alvarado, 2015; Umbach, 2006; Turner, 2015). Diverse faculty are more likely to mentor students of color, have larger advising loads than their peers, are more engaged with student organizations, and are called to service more often than non-diverse faculty (Baez, 2000; Griffin, 2012; Lopez Figueroa & Rodriguez, 2015; Turner, 2015). Lopez Figueroa and Rodriguez (2015) for example, present a new framework for the mentoring, acknowledging how “mentoring is a racially and culturally mediated experience, instead of a race neutral, objective interaction” (p. 23). That is, for students of color operating in the meritocratic hierarchical academy of higher education, mentoring is often happenstance, and less targeted for students of color. We see this when students of color lack mentors from their fields due to the dearth of Latino or faculty of color in their departments, where they are left to find mentors on their own, often from different fields of study (Lopez Figueroa & Rodriguez, 2015). Exposure to diverse mentors is an important element to academic success, post graduate aspirations and preparation." (Contreras, 2017, p. 223)*

UT's College of Education Dean Charles Martinez points to the fertile ground we already have for our university's newest entrants. To them, I would ask them to consider taking Mexican American Studies courses in the Department of Mexican American and Latino Studies. Other excellent options are Native American and Indigenous Studies, as well as African and African Diaspora Studies. As the most diverse college at UT, check us out in the College of Education, too.

I know that when I was in college, taking these courses contributed positively to my sense of identity and belonging while strengthening my intellect and giving me a community in spaces where I otherwise felt alienated and vulnerable because there were such few people at the university who either looked like me or who shared my origins as a minoritized student from West Texas. 

So becoming an Hispanic Serving Institutions or "HSI" is definitely a high- water mark for our university, but much more must be done for "servingness" to engender the positive outcomes that we seek. As for faculty and staff, pay equity and supportive working conditions are essential. 

Another good first step is to simply do everything possible to retain our excellent, highly-competitive faculty at the university lest they be taken up by other institutions that offer them more higher salaries and support. Aggressive recruitment, pay equity, and opportunities to assume positions in the administration of the university also go hand-in-hand. 

For now, let's all pause and take a breath, knowing that the universe is moving in the right direction. Hats off to all the hard work of the UT’s Hispanic Serving Institution Transition Committee on which I also serve.

-Angela Valenzuela

*Contreras, F. (2017). Latino faculty in Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Where is the diversity?. Association of Mexican American Educators Journal, 11(3), 223-250.

University of Texas hits record undergraduate Hispanic student enrollment

Megan Menchaca

Austin American-Statesman |Sept. 20, 2021

Hispanic undergraduate students at UT

The University of Texas hit a record percentage of Hispanic undergraduate

 students enrolled this year, surpassing for a second year the threshold

that qualifies the institution for federal money designated for schools 

with significant numbers of Hispanic students.

The number of Hispanic students at UT has steadily increased over the 

past decade. In 2011, about 20% of undergraduate students at UT 

identified as Hispanic, compared with 27.1%, or 11,087 undergraduate 

students, this year, according to new enrollment data obtained by the 

American-Statesman.

Luis Zayas, co-chair of UT’s Hispanic Serving Institution Transition 

Committee, said Hispanic enrollment has grown as more Hispanic high 

school students become eligible for admission and university officials 

engage in outreach with students around Texas.

“We have been very active in building a presence throughout the state, 

and our leaders have gone to the various parts of the state, whether it's

the (Rio Grande) Valley, West Texas or Central Texas, to really show that 

we care and we're interested,” said Zayas, dean of the Steve Hicks School 

of Social Work.

More:UT celebrates class of 2020 graduates with long delayed in-person commencement

UT surpassed 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment for the first time

last year, qualifying the school as a Hispanic Serving Institution. This year, 

after meeting that designation again, UT will be eligible to apply for three 

grants offered by the U.S. Department of Education focused on enhancing

the quality of such institutions, increasing the number of Hispanic students

in STEM fields and expanding post-baccalaureate opportunities for Hispanic

 students.

Deborah Parra-Medina, a Hispanic Serving Institution Transition Committee

 member and director of the Latino Research Institute at UT, said being 

named a Hispanic Serving Institution is important for UT to show the 

community that it is committed to providing high-quality education that 

values the Latino experience along with other student experiences.

“Many of the strategies that we design or implement often positively impact 

other students as well, such as first-generation students or students who are

 financially disadvantaged,” said Parra-Medina, a Mexican American and 

Latina/o Studies professor. “I think people think it's exclusively about the

Latino experience, but actually, it does benefit large aspects of the university

 population.”

Graduation rates

In addition to growth in Hispanic enrollment, four-year graduation rates

for Hispanic students at UT have steadily increased over the past few years 

despite the pandemic’s disruption of campus life. In 2017, UT’s graduation 

rate for Hispanic students was 60.3%, and that rose to nearly 67% in 2021, 

according to new university data.

Charles Martinez, dean of the College of Education and a Hispanic Serving

Institution Transition Committee member, said among the factors boosting

 graduation rates are the support systems UT provides Hispanic students 

through programs such as the University Leadership Network, college-

specific initiatives and affinity student organizations.

“We surround (Hispanic students) with professional support, career 

development and skills that they need to navigate a pretty big place like UT,”

 Martinez said. “I think that the seriousness of the wraparound services 

that we provide during those first two years in particular are really impressive, 

and there's no doubt that they are a big contributor to our graduation success.”

More:UT ranked as No. 10 public school in the nation by U.S. News & World Report

In 2020, UT received the Seal of Excelencia, a national certification for

 universities serving Latino students. The seal was awarded by Excelencia in

 Education, an organization focused on improving Latino college student

success, which cited UT’s efforts to foster a sense of belonging among Latino

 students. 

Room for improvement

Still, UT’s undergraduate student demographics do not match the demo-

graphics of the state or the students in K-12 schools. Census data show 

that 39.3% of Texans identify as Hispanic or Latino. According to the Texas

 Education Agency, 52.8% of students in the state’s public schools during 

the 2019-20 school year were Hispanic.

Zayas said UT is hoping to see more Hispanic students in the future to 

reflect the population of Texas, but he said it will take time because there 

are generations of families that have not had access to higher education.

John Morán González, a member of the Hispanic Serving Institution 

Transition Committee and a UT professor, said the university has an 

obligation as the state’s flagship university to look like Texas. However, 

he said UT also must ensure that Hispanic students succeed at 

comparable levels and have the tools, resources and programs on campus 

to help them graduate and achieve other goals.

UT “is creating, helping shape and train the next generation of leaders in

all professions,” said González, former director of UT's Center for Mexican

 American Studies. “That means that it has to be responsive to its 

constituency in Texas. And as the recent census data shows, this is 

increasingly Hispanic.”