Texas A&M University San Antonio’s Marketing and Communication Leader resigned last semester and was succeeded this March by a new leader. This follows a tenure markedly increased in turnover. Formal complaints of discrimination and poor leadership Retaliation and overworking staff.
However, Cynthia Teniente Matson (university president) said Jeanette De Diemar was formerly vice president for advancement, external relations. This helped to strengthen the university’s reputation for enrollment management and national recognition.
While the university says it found no evidence of the discrimination allegations, an A&M-San Antonio investigation concluded the university took “appropriate action” on complaints of poor leadership and retaliation, according to university reports. However, former employees say they weren’t satisfied.
De Diemar Arrived at A&M San Antonio March 25, 2019, departed December 2021. Jesse Pisors became the new vice president of university advancement and external relationships on March 28.
17 people left the department during De Diemar’s two-and-a half-year term, compared to 12 in the five years prior to De Diemar taking the reins.
The Mesquite interviewed four Marcom employees, three of whom were on the record. Request anonymityInformation about the working conditions In The department. All seven agreed that the department needed a leader who would improve morale.
The Mesquite also obtained emails and documents from open records requests as well as former employees.
De Diemar declined the Mesquite’s invitation to speak on this subject.
Marcom is part of University Advancement and External Relations. It supports the universitys goals and mission by promoting A&M San Antonios name and increasing awareness of it. The department is responsible for university media relations, videography, photography, creative design and editorial services.
John LoCurto is the deputy coordinator for Title IX and chief compliance officer. He has been with us since fall 2018. August 2020, He stated that he witnessed constant turnover at his university, even though turnover is common across other organizations.
From my perspective, the problem was with a brand new entity trying to become President LoCurto stated that although Matsons ambitious goals for the campus were admirable, the high turnover was a problem that hindered their progress.
LoCurto stated that he noticed a lot more people moving between departments than he did in Marcom.
Within a matter of months, the entire communications team was gone. It was difficult. LoCurto stated that it affected our ability market and message to communicate.
LaMarriol Smith was a Senior Communications Specialist at A&M San Antonio between August 2018 and August 2019. She claimed that Marcom employees had been working there for years prior to De Diemars arrival. Many of those people left the department after De Diemar joined it.
Smith stated that she had seen some staff leave the department before. Her own departure.
Smith stated that it was a revolving doors for most of those positions. After Cristian Sandoval’s departure,Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, June to November 2019.
Marcom former employees discuss working conditions
Ana Cavazos, social-media manager in the department, claimed she was subject to harassment and discrimination during her time at Marcom. She stated that she witnessed the behavior directed at people of different nationalities.
CavazosHe is originally from Mexico.De Diemar said that whenever she spoke, she would say that she couldn’t understand her accent. However, her colleagues understood her. Cavazos said that De Diemar would often do this to others with accents.
An anonymous employee who worked alongside Cavazos, De Diemar, and Cavazos stated that he did not witness any discrimination from De Diemar.
Even though I didn’t see any malpractice, Jeanette seemed to have her favorites. At least, that was what the anonymous employee stated March 22. Ana was not one of those people. … There was certainly tension between her and Jeanette.
An anonymous employee stated that De Diemar would treat her employees differently unfairly.
They claimed they left the university for personal reasons but it was a relief.
Cavazos says that De Diemar would find a way to devalue. Micromanagement Her employees’ hard work.
Cavazos, in a Sept. 23 phone conversation, stated that she would tell you that I didn’t understand her meaning with this and that, even though everything was exactly as she wanted. It’s obvious that she is a vice-president. We all knew she wanted to micromanage everything.
When asked Interview in a Zoom interview on October 11, 2011. Matson stated that she was aware about De Diemar’s turnover and the competition for talent.
If you think about it, shes a vice president, what is she doing micromanaging, you know, someone that is supposed to be under a director,” Cavazos said.
LoCurto claimed that De Diemar worked with him on a few tasks. De Diemar was the only person able to do these tasks because Marcom had no staff.
Cavazos And Matthew Zeringue is the creative manager, from March 2020 to May 2021. De Diemar said he would contact staff during after-hoursWeekends, days off, and sick days.
Zeringue stated in a Zoom interview on Sept. 22 that she believed she got one or two days off for true work while there.
Zeringue stated that he worked for weeks on convocation content.. De Diemar stated that De Diemar had looked at his work several days before convocation. He stated that De Diemar had received the presentation from his team weeks earlier and that she had not received it. Not revised then.
We might not be able to hit the mark due to the fact that we haven’t been given any direction for things about which we are completely unaware. So we try our best.Zeringue stated.
An anonymous employee claimed that De Diemars was his name. Instructions weren’tAlways be clearOr they were Delivered late
De Diemar began editing convocation content the day before convocation. And Information that is usefulZeringue stated.He stated that De Diemar also deleted information Matson requested to be included.
Zeringue said that he metDe Diemar, the night before convocation at 11:00 or midnight, and again around 2 a.m.
I work from 7:30 a.m. on the previous day (convocation), and here I work until 6 a.m. the next day. I’m fried, Zeringue stated. I went home for about an hour, didn’t sleep and came back to make sure everything was still in order.
De Diemar sends an email on August 18, 2020The Mesquite obtained this information through an open record request.The convocation material, including the order in which speakers would be seated, was still being finalized over an hour before the event.
Cavazos stated Zeringue was extremely overworked as he was constantly called on and assigned new projects.
Matt was always busier than the rest, from what I recall. According to an anonymous employee, he worked late to get things done.
An anonymous employee claimed that they also had to work long hours. A Few occasions,It was, however, nothing crazy.
Zeringue stated that De Diemar would not communicate the issues she had with the content and would instead ask for help from others.
Zeringue stated that I have 13-14 or 15 years of experience working in the A&M System. I had worked for A&M in College Station many years.,It takes years to get there and it is a mess. I’ve never seen such poor planning and such a refusal to take responsibility. It was all a game of blame.
Matson stated that the university is still struggling to establish a relationship with the media.
Matson stated that we can always do better as we grow as a university, and as a system and as our strengths grow,
Employees file complaints; look for solutions
Zeringue filed a March 2021 complaint to the A&M System regarding De Diemar withholding information. This caused disruption in their jobs. Zeringue also outlined issues that revolved around fall 2020 and spring 2021 convocation.
De Diemar was accused of having a tendency to assign tasks without much notice and would blame employees when tasks were not completed correctly.
Zeringue claimed that he was called from Human Resources by Martha Olivos Gonzalez to meet with De Diemar and a representative of HR, but they didn’t discuss the issues detailed in the complaint. Instead, he was offered to a pay increase.
Zeringue said that they bumped up my salary and that I wasn’t excited about it. It doesn’t feel good. Its sickening.
The final reportZeringue and The Mesquite shared the following:Those responsible for the action were informed. On his complaint. Zeringue submitted a June 2021 report stating that there was no resolution to the prior complaint.
I have not had a performance review from any of my three managers yet, but somehow I received a salary rise and a bonus in quick succession after filing an official complaint against the individual who initiated and approved both the salary rise and bonus, Zeringue wrote in his report.
Zeringue stated that he heard that other Marcom members had approached Olivos Gonzalez to express dissatisfaction weeks after De Diemar arrived. They told HR that they wanted their dissatisfaction recorded. This was denied.
Olivos-Gonzalez The Mesquite declined to speak to her office because it doesn’t comment on personnel matters.
Cavazos has filed two complaints against De Diemar. She first filed a Title IX complaint against DeDiemar in April 2020. This was based upon discrimination.
The complaintCavazos shared this with The Mesquite.Another employee was also subject to discrimination because of their nationality.
Jeanette rolls her eyes and corrects Caller (Cavazos), in front other employees, when he/she speaks. This implies that Jeanette and the caller are unable communicate in English.
Cavazos had previously contacted Matson to complain about discrimination before he filed the complaint. Cavazos received a March 2020 email from Matson in which he stated that tensions had risen during the pandemic and that discrimination is not tolerated at the university. Cavazos shared this email with The Mesquite.
CavazosAccording to her, she believes that more than 10 people were interested in testifying during her investigation. Noe Rincones, A&M System investigator, had mentioned that there was a list of people who wanted to testify during her investigation into the complaints.
Rincones stated to The Mesquite, Dec. 7, that he had been advised by federal and state privacy laws not to comment on this matter.
The Mesquite requested documentation from the Public Records Center to support any complaints against De Diemar filed on Nov. 2. The center stated It The request was denied. The Mesquite asked for the Public Records Center’s assistance in fulfilling the previous request on Jan. 19.
According to the following, the request was denied February 3. Tex. Educ. Code sec. 51.971(c)The following statement is made: Information requested is confidential It is impossible be released.
Aftermath to complaints
Matson was presented with the report following the investigation into Cavazos’ complaint. Cavazos said. Cavazos said that De Diemar was aware of Cavazos’ team.
Adriana Contreras was the interim vice president for university development at the time and said that the president couldn’t comment on personnel issues when The Mesquite asked for an additional interview with Matson.
Cavazos stated that Contreras was hired by the university as director of marketing operations and communications operations in August 2020 in order to restore stability in the department after the complaints.
De Diemar sent her staff an email on Aug. 18, 2020 following convocation. It stated that a director would be hired to assist in the advancement of an integrated marketing and communications operation, services, and strategy to implement consistent processes. The email was obtained by the Mesquite through an open records request.
Regardless of a particular department’s situation, the leaders are required to provide stability for their department, Contreras said iInterview Dec. 8.
Contreras stated, “I think in any leadership role thats part of them, to come in, and help provide stability, and help with morale.”
Contreras said, “I think in any leader position that’s part of it to come in and help with stability and morale.” This is not to say that a department is broken, but that you are a leader in that role.
Contreras was a Marcom employee for nine months before she was transferred to business affairs, where she was the director. After Pisors assumed the role of vice president for university progression, Contreras moved back to business affairs.
Contreras denied that she could comment on personnel issues.
The investigation concluded in October 2020 and found no policy violations or procedural violationsAccording to a Cavazos report shared by The Mesquite.
Cavazos filed a retaliation Title IX complaintst in March 2021. Cavazos stated that De Diemar had increased her workload in the complaint. According to the report, appropriate actions were taken.
According to the report, Contreras was also hired as a buffer between De Diemar’s employees and her.
Later in the spring HR informed Cavazos that her position was being reduced with a lower salary. she She must reapply if he would like to remain on board, Cavazos said.
The university terminated Cavazos’ job and created a new one with a different title but same job description, Cavazos said. Cavazos’ position was Social media Manager. The new position was SocialMedia Coordinator.
Cavazos did no reapply to the Social Media Coordinator position. Cavazos left Marcom after being restructured, and her position was terminated along with an anonymous source.
The Mesquite also contacted 14 former employees of University Advancement and External Relations. They either declined to answer or did not respond by the deadline.
Employees offer suggestions for moving forward
Cavazos stated that the university needs a system to benefit employees and all employees, not just those in higher positions.
Cavazos said that talk about university support and progressivism should have been passed on to employees. She said thatUniversity advocates for minorities, and cares for the community. But this idea doesn’t work. It is possible to Apply to employees.
Sandoval, the former Marcom executive Director, holds a Ph.D. from Our Lady of the Lake University in Leadership Studies. He recommended that the next leader have vision for the department. The university must also evaluate how the department will contribute to the university’s growth.
Sandoval stated that it is important to hire someone who will help build a department that encourages growth.
Sandoval stated that he resigned from the university because he felt it was a disservice and a waste his time, since his vision didn’t align with De Diemars.
Sandoval shared his vision of marketing for the university during an Oct. 13 telephone call. I am familiar with the nuances of the Latino community and the parents who send their children to school. I also believe I understand the Hispanic marketplace (and) San Antonio market. I had a vision about what marketing could accomplish.
Sandoval said that it was not clear to him what De Diemars vision of the university was, but he was aware that it was different from what it was he had in mind.
LoCurto acknowledged that A&M-San Antonio had many goals and high turnover isn’t helping the university reach them.
Lo Curto stated, “No organization is stable 100% of the time, but an organization that has high turnover is hindered in its ability achieve its goals.”
LoCurto states that it is becoming increasingly difficult to attract talent to the company and to secure it.
Sandoval stated that Marcom employees will need to change their mindsets as the new VP.
I believe the department has struggled. Sandoval said that even the people who are still there, want to be inspired. It takes someone who is able to not only bring that vision to life but also change the mindset and attitude of the people in order to give them the chance to make it a reality.
Brittany Tyra, Gabrielle Tellez, and Gabrielle Tellez contributed to the story.
