Federal Lawsuit Alleges Racial Discrimination at Texas University

McAllen, Texas – Three female professors have filed a federal lawsuit claiming that university officials are contemplating the establishment of a bilingual university where classes would be taught in Spanish and only Spanish-speaking professors would be hired. They assert that this plan discriminates against them due to their non-Hispanic backgrounds. One professor is of African descent, while the other two are of Asian heritage.

The plaintiffs, Aje Oli Agbeze, Professor Minhee Eom, and Wai Rhine Chan, argue that despite their notable academic achievements and various accolades, they have faced discrimination.

The lawsuit was submitted this week in federal court in McAllen, where the professors’ attorneys allege that UTRGV Provost Luis Zayas favored Spanish-speaking candidates over them. The professors come from Nigeria, Korea, and Taiwan.

The lawsuit references comments made by Zayas, who described his vision as creating “a genuine bilingual, bicultural, dualistic institution.”

In alignment with this goal, the university is reportedly moving toward offering courses instructed in Spanish or partially in Spanish, which the lawsuit claims violates Title VII. Notably, none of the three professors are proficient in Spanish. An internal memo included in the lawsuit suggests Zayas was developing a Faculty Program focused on Spanish Mass Media and Journalism.

All three professors contend that their lack of career advancement has been tied to racial and ethnic factors rather than their qualifications. They are pursuing a jury trial; however, a date for upcoming hearings has yet to be set. UTRGV has not yet responded to the allegations.