This is a developing story, Mustang News will update as more information becomes available.
Cal Poly assistant English professor Shanae Martinez faces a two-quarter suspension without pay for involvement in pro-Palestinian protests last year, the San Luis Obispo Tribune reported.
Martinez claimed that Cal Poly violated the California Faculty Association’s bargaining agreement when rescheduling their hearing days before President Jeffrey Armstrong’s congressional testimony.
Initially set for May 2, the university postponed Martinez’s hearing two days prior because some committee members were unavailable, according to the Tribune. Cal Poly has yet to set a new date.
The university had no comment due to privacy reasons, university spokesperson Matt Lazier wrote in an email to Mustang News.
Martinez expressed concern that the national attention toward Cal Poly would make them vulnerable to harassment, the Tribune reported.
The university alleged that Martinez violated the California Education Code of Conduct for “unprofessional conduct” related to two pro-Palestinian protests in 2024.
In January 2024, Martinez was involved in a physical altercation with police in front of the Cal Poly Recreation Center, where officers clashed with students. The incident resulted in Martinez being charged with battery of a police officer in March.
Martinez was also present in a May 2024 protest at the crosswalk of California Boulevard and Campus Way, when Martinez disobeyed police instructions to disperse, according to the Tribune. They were later charged with misdemeanor unlawful assembly and obstructing the free movement of any person in a public place.
