Why Did CSU Agree to Pay $12 Million in a Gender Bias Case?

California State University agreed in 2026 to pay $12 million to resolve gender harassment and retaliation claims brought by two former Cal State San Bernardino administrators, Clare Weber and Anissa Rogers. The women's attorneys announced the settlement on May 12. It followed an October 2025 verdict in which a Los Angeles jury awarded Rogers $6 million. The plaintiffs’ attorneys believe it is the largest publicly reported employment discrimination settlement against the CSU system.

Case: Weber and Rogers v. Board of Trustees of the California State University

Court: Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles, Central District

Case No.: 23STCV05549

The California discrimination case began in March 2023 with a lawsuit naming the CSU Board of Trustees, campus President Tomás Morales, and Jake Zhu, the former dean of the Palm Desert campus.

What Happened Before the CSU Lawsuit Was Filed?

Clare Weber began her career in the CSU system in 2002 at Dominguez Hills, rising from assistant professor of sociology to associate vice president. She joined Cal State San Bernardino as vice provost in August 2017. According to the lawsuit, she received strong evaluations until she told President Morales that she and other female vice provosts were paid less than their male counterparts and asked for a raise. She alleges that the request was followed by harsh criticism, she was asked to resign from her vice provost position and, after refusing, was removed from that administrative role the following day.

Anissa Rogers became associate dean of the university’s Palm Desert campus in 2019. She alleges her male supervisor screamed at her and other women on staff, called her too emotional, and took credit for her work, and that he did not treat men that way. After she complained to the CSU chancellor, she says she feared being targeted for termination. She was told the university had no plan to remove her dean and that she should resign. She resigned in January 2022.

Who Are the Plaintiffs in Weber and Rogers v. CSU?

Both women held senior roles. Weber served as vice provost, and Rogers as associate dean. After leaving their administrative positions, both returned to faculty roles (Weber in sociology and Rogers in social work); positions that typically pay less and carry less prestige.

What Did CSU Say?

CSU has stated publicly that it remains committed to fairness, accountability, and equal opportunity in hiring and promotion decisions.

What Did the Jury and the Settlement Decide?

In October 2025, a Los Angeles jury found that CSU retaliated against Rogers, subjected her to gender harassment, and failed to prevent that harassment. It awarded her $6 million. According to the plaintiffs’ attorneys, the campus provost testified that when faculty brought him complaints of harassment by a senior dean, he considered them “low-grade bias” and did not report them to Human Resources or Title IX, even though he acknowledged he was required to report.

Weber’s remaining claims were expected to proceed to a second trial. Instead, CSU entered into a $12 million settlement resolving both plaintiffs’ claims, including Rogers’ claims that had produced the earlier $6 million verdict.

Why Does the CSU Case Matter to California Employees?

This case was filed in Los Angeles County, and its issues reach far beyond a university campus. Two patterns stand out. The first is a pay complaint followed by discipline. The second is a harassment complaint that travels up the chain and goes nowhere.

California’s Equal Pay Act: Prohibits paying employees less than colleagues of a different sex, race, or ethnicity for substantially similar work, and it protects workers who ask about or discuss pay.

The Fair Employment and Housing Act: Prohibits harassment and retaliation and requires employers to take reasonable steps to prevent both. California employers have obligations to take reasonable steps to prevent and address unlawful harassment. In Rogers’ trial, the campus provost reportedly acknowledged that he was required to report the complaints he received but did not do so.

In the matter of CSU, both plaintiffs held high-level positions. People in management sometimes assume the law protects only entry-level workers, but that is not true. Management level employees are also protected by law.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can an employee be fired for asking about pay or pay rates?

A: No, California law prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who ask about, discuss, or disclose their wages. Retaliation against employees who raise equal pay concerns is also prohibited.

Q: What if a manager who receives a harassment complaint does nothing?

A: Employers have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent and correct harassment. A failure to act on complaints can support a claim, and the jury’s finding in Rogers’ case included a failure to prevent harassment.

Q: Can a resignation still count as a wrongful termination?

A: In some situations, yes, a resignation may still be considered a wrongful termination. If an employer creates conditions so intolerable that a reasonable person would feel forced to quit, the resignation may be treated as a forced termination, depending on the facts pertaining to the individual case.

Q: If a case is “settled,” did the employer admit wrongdoing?

A: No, a settlement does not necessarily mean an employer admits wrongdoing. A settlement is an agreement to resolve a dispute, and the terms vary widely depending on the case and the parties involved.

Do you have questions about a gender discrimination or retaliation claim in California? Please get in touch with Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik DeBlouw LLP. Knowledgeable employment law attorneys are ready to assist you in various law firm offices in Riverside, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, and Los Angeles.