California State University Reaches Settlement with Faculty Union Over Disclosure of Personal Data
California State University (CSU) has settled a lawsuit with its faculty union, restricting the university from disclosing personal information to federal agencies investigating antisemitism on campus without the employee’s knowledge. The settlement, announced by the California Faculty Association, requires CSU to notify employees “as soon as reasonably practicable” before complying with any subpoena for personal information, unless the notification would be against the law.
The personal information in question includes names, Social Security numbers, physical descriptions, addresses, and any other identifying information. The union lawsuit stems from an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) investigation into employee complaints of campus antisemitism at CSU, part of the Trump administration’s broader incursions into higher education. The EEOC, which has subpoena power, sought a large-scale trove of information for every employee at Cal State L.A.
Background and Context
The EEOC had been investigating Cal State L.A. since demonstrators erected a pro-Palestinian encampment in spring 2024 as part of a larger wave of nationwide campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza. The protest at Cal State L.A. escalated after a student services building on the campus was vandalized in June of that year. The California Faculty Association filed the suit in October in Los Angeles County Superior Court, citing state constitution-guaranteed rights to privacy and the California Information Practices Act.
Additional CSU unions joined in the lawsuit, including United Auto Workers Local 4213, which represents academic student workers, and Teamsters Local 2010, representing skilled trade employees. Law experts told The Times that it is not unusual for the EEOC to request personal employee information during investigations. However, the association took issue with the fact that the Trump administration would have access to personal faculty data.
Settlement and Implications
The faculty union has celebrated the settlement as a win that will help prevent workers from being caught off guard by the CSU handing over personal information to federal agencies without the knowledge of the faculty impacted. CSU said in a statement that “both parties have a mutual interest in safeguarding employees’ personal information and providing timely information to those most impacted… We believe this agreement successfully accomplishes both.”
The California Faculty Association stated that in the coming weeks, they would seek a preliminary injunction prohibiting any further disclosures by CSU of faculty members’ personal information. The association emphasized its commitment to protecting its members’ livelihoods, freedoms, and privacy, and to demanding that the CSU administration fulfill its commitment to equity.
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