Sonoma State investigation
The main quad area of Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, Wednesday, April 13, 2022. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
On April 13, 2022, The Press Democrat was the first to report that Sonoma State had paid $600,000 to resolve a complaint of retaliation from a former top administrator at the university. The former administrator alleged she experienced retaliation from SSU president Judy Sakaki after reporting staff complaints about Sakaki’s husband, Patrick McCallum, to California State University officials. After breaking the story, a team of my colleagues and I spent the next few months further exploring the extent to which McCallum’s history of inappropriate behavior with staff.
Read my contributions to the coverage below:
Former Sonoma State administrator received $600,000 settlement over retaliation for reporting alleged sexual harassment (April 13, 2022)
What led to a $600,000 settlement with former Sonoma State University administrator? (April 13, 2022)
Sonoma State president addressed Academic Senate about alleged sexual harassment, retaliation claims (April 14, 2022)
Sonoma State administrator who reported sexual harassment by President Sakaki’s husband: ‘It was really bad’ (April 16, 2022)
Leading North Bay lawmaker calls Sonoma State settlement scandal a ‘disgrace’ (April 19, 2022)
A former Sonoma State vice president shielded staff from the president’s husband. He wishes he had done more (April 23, 2022)
In reversal, Sonoma State says student tuition will help pay for $600,000 payment over harassment reports (April 25, 2022)
Sonoma State Academic Senate advances no-confidence vote in President Sakaki (April 28, 2022)
McGuire, Dodd call on Sakaki to step down after Sonoma State faculty approve resolution of no confidence in her leadership (May 9, 2022)
Former Sonoma State administrators’ accounts of sexual harassment raise questions about Sakaki’s response (May 21, 2022)
Sonoma State President Judy Sakaki to step down amid sexual harassment and retaliation scandal (June 7, 2022)
SSU President Sakaki’s husband defied order to avoid campus, prompting CSU response in March, memo shows (June 8, 2022)
