Press Release. Nov. 1, 2024. For Immediate Release.

Contact:  Texas AAUP-AFT Office of Faculty Representation,  txaaup-pressinfo@pm.me

Astrid Gandaria, Sandra Orta, and Mayra Reyes, formerly employed as lecturers with the School of Social Work at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), filed a lawsuit in US District Court for the Southern District of Texas, McAllen Division, on October 21, 2024, alleging discrimination and retaliation.  The discrimination allegations stem from repeated public comments made by the School of Social Work Dean Luis Torres-Hostos about their accent and Mexican ancestry (national origin).  The alleged discrimination also extends to actions taken while two of the women were on FMLA leaves for cancer treatment, and to their disability status.  The alleged discrimination would include violations of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

The women also allege retaliation for raising concerns over workload issues that resulted in one of them being underpaid by over $24,000 and other issues which involved a negative work environment, alleged veiled threats, intimidation, and an investigation whose findings were never revealed to one of the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit can be found under Astrid Gandaria, Sandra Orta, and Mayra Reyes, Plaintiffs, v. University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Defendant, filed October 21, 2024.  UTRGV President Guy Bailey, UTRGV Provost Luis Zayas, and UTRGV Dean of the School of Social Work Louis Torres-Hostos are named in the lawsuit.

The UTRGV Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and Texas Conference of the AAUP-AFT were first contacted about the terminations of these faculty members in early summer 2024.  The Texas AAUP-AFT Office of Faculty Representation helped the faculty members evaluate their cases, and all three plaintiffs chose the law firm of Hill Gilstrap, PC, to represent them.