Three Hispanic employees of California State University-Monterey Bay have settled a racial discrimination lawsuit with the school for $2.5 million. Cecilia Burciaga, Bert Rivas and Octavio Villalpondo filed suit against the university in 2000 after Burciaga was dismissed from his position as assistant to the school's president and Rivas, a campus vice president, was transferred to another position. Villalpondo quit his job in protest of his colleagues' treatment.

While university administrators failed to comment on the settlement, a spokesperson for the school's Chicano/Latino Faculty and Staff Association said he was pleased with the decision. As part of the agreement, CSU will also establish a $1.5 million fund for low-income students.