FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 16, 2003

CONTACT: Rachel Allen
(415) 302-0159
prdir@canow.org

California
National Organization for Women
926 J Street, Suite 424
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 442-3414 Fax: (916) 442-4765

CA NOW URGES SDSU TO REINSTATE WOMEN STUDIES PROFESSOR

The California National Organization for Women (CA NOW) has contacted California State University Chancellor, Charles Reed, and members of the CSU Board of Trustees, asking them to urge San Diego State University to reinstate Women’s Studies professor, Patricia Washington. The move by CA NOW comes after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) found reasonable cause to believe SDSU had discriminated against Dr. Washington by denying her tenure and promotion and terminating her "on the basis of her race/sex combined and in retaliation for previous complaints." The Commission advised SDSU to reinstate Washington with back pay and to grant her tenure and promotion to associate professor. The Commission further advised the university that if it failed to respond adequately to the agency's request for “meaningful conciliation,” the case would be forwarded to the EEOC's legal unit for action.

Since the university has failed to comply with the spirit of EEOC’s suggestions, and has instead issued a public statement disparaging the federal agency’s investigation, CA NOW is mobilizing its chapters, and again contacting the CSU Chancellor and Board of Trustees, expressing support for Dr. Washington, and calling for her immediate reinstatement.

“From where we sit, SDSU’s response to the EEOC’s findings smacks of sour grapes—or worse, retaliation,” said CA NOW executive director, Helen Grieco. “California NOW is committed to supporting Dr. Washington and seeing to it that justice is served in this case. We urge SDSU to avoid costly litigation and settle this case by reinstating Dr. Washington, granting her the tenure and promotion she has already earned, and providing all other appropriate remedies.”

Dr. Washington is the first and only African American woman ever hired for a full-time position by the SDSU Women’s Studies Department—the oldest women’s studies program in the country, founded in 1969. When Pat Washington began her tenure track appointment in 1996, the SDSU Women's Studies Department explicitly stated the requirements for tenure. When Dr. Washington exceeded those requirements, the department changed them. When Dr. Washington won SDSU’s Outstanding Faculty Award 3 years in a row (2001, 2002, 2003) and exceeded even the newly instituted requirements, the university still denied her tenure, thus causing her to have to leave her job there. She filed a complaint with the EEOC in July 2002.

CA NOW contends that SDSU has not demonstrated a willingness to engage in meaningful conciliation to resolve the discrimination charges; on the contrary, the university has acted in a decidedly hostile manner toward both Washington and the federal civil rights enforcement agency that found in her favor. On Oct. 8, 2003, SDSU's Marketing and Communications department issued a three page SDSU Statement on the Status of Pat Washington. Among other things, SDSU claims that it has not had a chance to "tell its side of the story" and promises to do so "in due course and in an appropriate forum"—i.e., court. SDSU had more than a year to tell its side of the story to the EEOC and to present whatever evidence it had in support of that story.

California NOW, the largest state feminist organization in the country, is dedicated to fighting discrimination against women and girls, and ensuring all women safety, health and equal opportunities.