The PennZone

IRVINE, Calif. - PennZone -- On March 31, 2025, UCI Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, Hal Stern, removed Dean Frances Contreras from her position as the College of Education's first Latina dean, preventing her from engaging in a 5 year review, a process afforded to her peers under University of California policy. Throughout her tenure in this position, she has endured defamation, intimidation, bullying, retaliation, and outright discrimination from the provost, leaders across his units, and select faculty.

It is no coincidence that UCI took this action against Dean Contreras. Since joining the campus three years ago, she has expressed concern to UC Irvine's leadership about California and federal laws that have been broken, fiscal mismanagement, and lack of enforcement of UC policy. In addition, her personal safety and that of her family have been compromised. Her concerns have gone unanswered or have been outright ignored. The issues she has raised include challenges with staff who have violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, failure to conduct an audit of a major donor gift, failure to appropriately respond to a faculty member who broke California law by possessing firearms on the UC Irvine campus, violations of UC's Abusive Conduct Policy, and direct conflict of interests that exist in Academic Personnel.

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Leading civil rights organizations support Dean Contreras's call for a formal review. Tonia Reyes Uranga, the President of The League of United Latin American Citizens, LULAC Council #3309, the nation's oldest and largest Latino civil rights organization, stated in a letter that they believe that there is a need for "the UC Regents to initiate a formal investigation into the concerns of discrimination, abusive conduct, and retaliation against Dr. Frances Contreras, Dr.

Contreras, a prominent national scholar in higher education, has a remarkable track record as both a faculty member and a leader within the UC System. I am concerned that speaking out about violations of UC policy, California and federal law is not seen as an exercise in free speech by UC Irvine."

Several Latinx faculty members and alumni across the UC system also stand with Dean Contreras and, in a letter, wrote, "Without prejudging the merits of the case, we think there are enough red flags to require an immediate formal independent investigation."

Dr. Contreras became the Dean of the UC Irvine School of Education in January 2022, and, since that time, she has exceeded the metrics for Dean review, including:

• The UC Irvine School of Education has consistently ranked among the top ten public schools of education nationally according to US News since her tenure as Dean.
• The School of Education increased by over $32 million in extramural funding from $110 million in 2022 to $142 million in 2024.
• The School acquired $12 million in gifts.
• Scholarships established between 2022-2024 totaled $525,000. In the five-year period prior, the total was $41,300. She clearly outperformed her predecessor.
• The first university assisted partnership school was established with Monroe Elementary, in the Santa Ana Unified School district.
• Supported the development of two self-sustaining programs, the first a Master's degree program in Education Sciences-Learning Analytics, and a second with the Division of Continuing Education and the Claire Trevor School of the Arts.
• She served as Co-Chair of the Chicano/Latino Advisory Council to the UC President.
• Dr. Contreras has also earned the title of "Woman of the Year" in 2024 by the National Hispanic Business Women's Council

Dean Contreras's record of success as Dean of the UC Irvine School of Education speaks for itself. Despite her success and demonstration of ethical leadership, campus leaders and select faculty have engaged in unlawful treatment, discrimination, and retaliation.

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These actions and behaviors against Dean Contreras stem from her history of calling out violations of UC policy as well as California and federal law. A formal review of her removal and the actions taken by the UCI leaders and specific faculty members is required.