Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) President Zulma Toro has abruptly resigned following recent allegations that she has consistently bullied and intimidated university employees. Her resignation is effective October 1, and she will not receive a pension, according to Connecticut’s Alternate Retirement Program. She will receive more than $124,000 in accrued sick time and vacation pay.
Earlier this month, Lisa Bigelow, director of institutional advancement and president of the administrative faculty union at CCSU, sent a nine-page complaint to the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Office of Compliance, outlining what university employees have described as a workplace culture of “fear, oppressive control, intimidation, humiliation, and bullying” under Dr. Toro’s leadership.
The complaint includes examples of Dr. Toro’s “extreme anger” as well as multiple instances of Toro requesting employees to provide personal services, such as “cutting her food; scheduling and rescheduling medical and other personal appointments; dog sitting in the office and at [Toro’s] private residence; and ordering food for [her] daily.” The complaint claims staff have “witnessed [Toro] screaming, slamming doors, making a fist, and striking or punching objects in the office.”
Another example cites a Spring 2018 encounter with athletics staff following a student forum regarding the cancellation of the university’s golf program. Allegedly, Dr. Toro scolded staff and said, “My father taught me that when people disrespect you, they either pay with their money or pay with their blood. Someone is going to pay with their blood!”
Dr. Toro has served as CCSU’s president since January 2017. She is the university’s first woman and first Hispanic president. Before coming to CCSU, she was executive vice chancellor and provost at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She has also held leadership roles at Wichita State University in Kansas, the University of New Haven in Connecticut, and the University of Puerto Rico.
Dr. Toro is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico, where she majored in industrial engineering. She holds a master’s degree in industrial and operations engineering from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in industrial and systems engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.