The HR Investigation report is public information and can be accessed by requesting it from CWU HR.To request a copy of the HR report, here is the link: https://www.cwu.edu/business-services/request-procedure-public-records

(Scanned copies of the report are attached below)

In January 2019, four BIPOC students took a class at Central Washington University called The Minority Experiences by Nelson Pichardo, a professor in the Sociology Department and director of the Ethnic Studies Program. Besides the interesting curriculm that focused on historical minority groups such as the Italians, or Irish there was an issue of rampant racism and sexual harassment during class rants. 

Nelson Pichardo would openly use the N-word regardless of when he was speaking about Black history (He rarely was) in the classroom and in front of Black students. He would play on the word including the IA ending and the use of the ER ending multiple times in the classroom. He spoke to the class that the N-word should not have power over Black people because it is just a word.One day he asked the only 4 Black students in the classroom in front of the other students  if they were okay with the use of the word. When some of the Black students told him no, he agreed with not using the word only to use the word again next week leaving the Black students deeply uncomfortable. 

Nelson Pichardo openly talked about the use of the world Latinx and tell the class that he did not like the X, which excluded the non-binary students he possibly had. With the Latinx students in class he would call them out to ask questions related to their identity being Latinx. 

Nelson Pichardo would openly use racial ephithets in class that targeted non-white groups thorugh his classroom teachings. He would often call out non-white students to talk about their ethncity or religious backgrounds in front of the class that had no specific context to the class lectures/topic.

Not only did Nelson Pichardo display racism and anti-blackness in his classroom but also displayed sexual harassment towards his students.  On one occasion Nelson Pichardo openly expressed to a student who as a woman that he thought her notetaking was “sexy” when she asked a question relating to the class material. Nelson Pichardo also mentioned to his class how many sexual partners he has had (six by the way) as a way to impart wisdom to the young students on excessive sexual behavior. 

With all these accusations, one can find it hard to believe that a much loved Sociology and Ethnic Studies Professor would say these things, but he admitted to them all.  (Admission of statements in report in the link attached below). 

In Fall of 2019, the four students who were BIPOC came together and discussed the issue of many students who received incompletes for the class all from Nelson Pichardo’s doing. One of these students did receive an incomplete. Then the conversation of the uncomfortable rants including the racist and sexual remarks came up and with some help the students went to the deans Mike Harrod and Tim England of the College of the Sciences on Nov. 25 2019. After bringing their concerns to them Mike and Tim decided to bring this information on December 2, 2019 to the special Civil Rights Investigator Leslie Lindsey from CWU HR who investigated his wrongdoings. Nelson Pichardo in this investigation admitted to everything as mentioned before except the number of partners he had. 

To speed this long process up after the BIPOC students found out the results of the investigation a meeting was able to be set up with Mike Harrod, Tim England, Interim Provost Franken. During this meeting, the students were questioned by Franken on the meanings behind his behavior and in the end the students were told by Harrod and England that there would be a resolution to the issue of Nelson Pichardo and his classroom behavior.

It is now June 2020 and all the students have been told after another unsuccessful meeting with Dr. Cleary that ASCWU board members had to clarify on Pichardo's current employment they were told just as the students were told in previous meetings that the punishment of Nelson Pichardo was private but “severe”. 

There is no punishment severe other than termination to fit the behavior students have dealt with. Nelson Pichardo should be fired for the racist and sexual remarks made to his students. There should be zero tolerance for this behavior on a college campus and especially from a Sociology professor. He has caused emotional harm to students and continues it to this day even threatening students asking if they are involved in this issue by “going over his head” to administration. To protect himself further for the behavior he exhibits he has drawn up a confidentiality statement in his syllabi holding students to keep the conversations had in his classroom private. Protect BIPOC and other students at CWU and FIRE NELSON PICHARDO. 

Link to HR Report https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dsHhnVjRRzjL4isdpsXR_DdktFbSN0HRpQjd6P8d9Jk/edit?usp=sharing