The California Faculty Association (CFA) is suing the California State University (CSU) system to block the release of faculty members’ personal contact information to federal investigators as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing antisemitism probe. According to the union’s press release, the CFA leaders claim that the CSU is planning to share faculty members’ phone numbers and email addresses with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) without notifying employees or providing them an option to opt out.
According to the CFA statement, the union learned about the potential disclosure from an email sent from the CSU Chancellor’s Office on September 26. This email revealed that the EEOC had initiated a systemwide antisemitism complaint against the CSU and was beginning ‘direct outreach to some faculty and staff members across the system to review allegations of antisemitism and to speak with them about their experiences on campus.’ The CFA is arguing that this action is a violation of employee privacy, and they are taking legal action to prevent the disclosure of personal information.
The CFA’s lawsuit is part of a broader conflict between the CSU and the Trump administration’s investigation. The union is accusing the university of complying with the administration’s demands without resistance, which they argue is undermining the protection of faculty members’ rights. The CFA president, Margarita Berta-Ávila, stated in the press release that the CSU’s leadership is out of step with most Californians and the nation as a whole. She emphasized that California is leading the nation in efforts to fight the targeting and harassment of educators, government employees, LGBTQ individuals, immigrants, and Black and Brown communities, but the CSU has ‘capitulated without a fight’ to the Trump administration’s probe.
The CFA allegations claim that the EEOC has previously subpoenaed CSU Los Angeles to share personal contact information with employees. The union stated that they demanded a copy of the subpoena and requested that CSU Los Angeles not comply with it until they had a chance to review the request and formulate a response. The CSU’s media relations director, Amy Bentley-Smith, has acknowledged the lawsuit and stated that the university shares the CFA’s concern for protecting employee privacy. She added that the CSU is committed to exercising all legal rights available to protect personal information and is committed to complying with federal subpoenas issued by the EEOC while striving to limit disclosures to only what is required by law.
An EEOC spokesperson told Fox News Digital that under federal law, both charges filed with, and charge inquires made to, the EEOC are confidential. The EEOC can neither confirm nor deny the existence of any charge. The CSU continues to review the claims made in the lawsuit and is committed to ensuring compliance with both state and federal law, while upholding the privacy and trust of its faculty and staff. The CFA is demanding accountability from the CSU administration and is pushing for more protection of faculty, students, and academic freedom.