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