California State University Chancellor Dr. Joseph I. Castro, the former president of Fresno State, is under fire for his handling of sexual harassment complaints against one of the university’s top officials, USA Today reports.

Frank Lamas, the former university vice president of student affairs, sexually harassed several women while at Fresno State. Despite the many complaints, Castro recognized Lamas with a lifetime achievement award in 2018 and applauded Lamas in an email to the campus community when the vice president retired.

Lamas Received $260K and Full Retirement Benefits

In a settlement, Lamas received $260,000 and full retirement benefits and agreed to never work again for the CSU. Castro also gave Lamas a letter of recommendation.

In a statement, Castro said:

“First and foremost, I apologize to anyone in the Fresno State community who was impacted by Dr. Lamas’ behavior. I recognize how difficult this entire process was for the Division, especially those who were individually impacted by his actions.”

Lamas has denied any wrongdoing, according to USA Today.

Read more from the San Joaquin Valley Sun at this link.