Ross

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff Operstein was employed as a professor of linguistics at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF). CSUF is part of the California State University (CSU) system. Defendant Trustees of California State University controls CSU. Plaintiff Ross is Operstein’s husband. Operstein was hired on a probationary basis in 2011 for academic years 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. She hoped to be awarded tenure but was not. Though she received probationary reappointments in 2013 and 2014, CSUF offered her a “terminal year” appointment for the 2015-2016 academic year, meaning she would not thereafter be reappointed. Plaintiffs sued defendant in 2016. Throughout the trial proceedings, as they do here on appeal, plaintiffs acted in propria persona. The gravamen of their initial complaint was that Operstein was wrongfully denied tenure. It sought recovery under a variety of theories but not under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA; Gov. Code, § 12940 et seq.). In 2019, they amended their complaint to assert causes of action under FEHA. Pretrial litigation was extensive. Defendant filed various demurrers and motions to strike. Plaintiffs filed three amended

2 complaints. They…