My two cents about Fresno State and gender equity
I have three words for Charles Reed, chancellor of the California State University system: STOP THE INSANITY.
The reputation of your university in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley is getting pummeled in a trial in the Fresno County Courthouse. If I were you, I'd leave your Long Beach office, come to Fresno and offer a settlement that would cover the current Lindy Vivas discrimination case, as well as upcoming trials brought by former associate athletic director Diane Milutinovich and former women's basketball coach Stacy Johnson-Klein.
You may be getting positive reports out of Fresno on how the trial is going. I'd ask a few more questions of your lawyers because it doesn't look good from my perch. And it will only get worse in the following cases. Do the smart thing and settle.
You only have to read the words of former Athletic Director Scott Johnson to know that you've got a problem at Fresno State. Johnson, testifying under oath, said this on Wednesday: When asked if, in his entire life, he ever talked about a person's sexual orientation, Johnson responded, "never."
Most people couldn't answer never. But Johnson can, even though he presided over an athletic department that once held a party that participants called, "Ugly Women Athletes Day." And Johnson testifies that he "never" in his entire life talked about a person's sexual orientation.
Wow. This is your star witness, Chancellor Reed. He will testify in the upcoming trials as well. Former Bulldogs basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian calls Johnson a liar in his book published in 2005. I don't know about Tarkanian's claim, but Johnson's statements in court Wednesday sure make me wonder whether I'd be confident in winning a trial if he were testifying on my behalf.
There's been a lot of collateral damage already in this case, and there's no reason to believe that the nasty personal accusations will end when this trial is done. Maybe the law is on the university's side in these cases and jurors will reject the discrimination claims. Maybe not. But this has gone beyond legalities to the court of public opinion. That's your big problem, chancellor.
Someone has to be the adult, and say it's time to stop. That's you, chancellor. Find a way to get a settlement that's fair to the plaintiffs and fair to the university.
You're a smart man. Pull the plug and settle these cases. Fresno State's reputation will thank you.