Former university employee Annie Tremp to file lawsuit for wrongful termination
Recent actions by ASI executives may have Fresno State facing another lawsuit.
Former ASI Executive Director Annie Tremp, a university employee who is not a student, will pursue legal action against California State University, Fresno, Association, Inc., also known as Auxiliary Services.
ASI receives professional services such as management and accounting from the auxiliary. The auxiliary also handles ASI personnel matters.
Tremp̢۪s attorney, Michael J.F. Smith, told The Collegian that a complaint citing wrongful termination will be filed today at Fresno County Superior Court.
“Annie felt she was punished for bringing attention to the recent activities of two ASI executives,â€Â Smith said.
ASI President Mackee M. Mason and Executive Vice President Sandra Flores admitted to violating the “substance free pledgeâ€Â during the ASI retreat in July, where underage drinking took place. The university is also investigating related financial documents.
According to Smith, Tremp was put on paid administrative leave early this semester. Tremp was later dismissed, he said, after she refused to accept a deal posed to her by Auxiliary Services administrators.
In a telephone interview with The Collegian last week, Tremp said her only intention was to inform administrators of the activities of Mason and Flores.
“If all of the receipts and expense forms had been fully examined and investigated, as I suggested, it would have been quite clear that what happened at the ASI retreat this past July is just the tip of the iceberg,â€Â Tremp told The Collegian last week.
Also in an interview last week, Paul Oliaro, Ph.D., vice president of student affairs, told The Collegian he could not discuss Tremp̢۪s status because it is a personnel matter.
Smith said that Tremp will seek monetary compensation.
“Tremp feels her termination was an unfair action by university officials,â€Â Smith said.
The university has a policy on complaint procedures for allegations of retaliation and disclosure of improper government activities. It states that “no employee of this university or applicant for employment shall be retaliated against for having disclosed improper government activities.â€Â
Smith said that he and Tremp are communicating with the auxiliary̢۪s attorneys but have yet to formally meet.
Recent Fresno State lawsuits
The university has settled four high-profile civil cases in the past year, totaling more than $17 million.
̢ۢ Pictured above, former women̢۪s basketball coach Stacy Johnson-Klein: $9 million
̢ۢ Pictured left, women̢۪s softball coach Margie Wright: $600,000
̢ۢ Former Associate Athletic Director Diane Milutinovich: $3.5 million
̢ۢ Former volleyball coach Lindy Vivas: $4.5 million, currently under appeal