A longtime academic leader at Sul Ross State University has taken the institution to federal court, alleging she was pushed out of her position and paid significantly less than male colleagues who later assumed portions of her former administrative duties.
The lawsuit — filed December 2, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Pecos Division — comes from Dr. Barbara Tucker, who served as dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies. San Angelo LIVE first reported the lawsuit this week; Texas Reporter is independently reviewing the complaint and its allegations.
Claims of Unequal Treatment and Salary Disparity
According to the filing, Tucker led the university’s largest academic college, one that routinely accounted for half or more of total enrollment. She notes in the lawsuit that she consistently received the top performance ratings available to both faculty and administrators and had never faced disciplinary action during her 15-plus years at Sul Ross.
Yet the complaint describes a persistent salary gap between Tucker and her male counterparts. In early 2024, Tucker and the other academic deans — all women at the time — sought a phased plan to raise their pay to $145,000, a figure the lawsuit says was still below many comparable Texas institutions but aligned with the lowest-paid dean at Angelo State University. That request, supported by then-Provost Bernardo Cantens, was denied. Tucker’s pay rose only to $126,467.
Shortly afterward, the university created three new dean-level roles, all filled by men at higher salaries:
Dr. Sumantra Sengupta, Rio Grande College of Business — $150,000 Dr. Dean Culpepper, College of Health Sciences — $135,000 Dr. Kevin Badgett, Dean of Education — $135,000
The lawsuit asserts that Tucker had previously supervised all of the academic areas later separated into these new colleges — in addition to Criminal Justice, Homeland Security Studies, and the Law Enforcement Academy — effectively performing work now divided among three higher-paid men.
Removal From Deanship and Salary Reduction
The complaint states that during a regular meeting on December 2, 2024, Provost Cantens informed Tucker she was being removed immediately as dean. No performance-related reasoning was given, only that “the university is going in a different direction,” according to the filing.
Tucker was midway through a 12-month contract scheduled to run through August 31, 2025, but alleges she was not paid for June, July, or August 2025. She was reassigned to a nine-month faculty position at $80,000, well below the salary of a male colleague in her department who earned $113,000.
Incident at Deans’ Retreat Included in Filing
The lawsuit also describes an August 2024 retreat at Cibolo Creek Ranch in Marfa. While Tucker and three other women were walking toward a swimming area, the filing states University President Dr. Carlos Hernandez, who was nearby with the provost, made the remark:
“Will there be any skinny dipping?”
Tucker cites this comment as evidence of gender-based disrespect within the university’s leadership culture.
Race Discrimination Allegations
Tucker also alleges race discrimination tied to the hiring of Dr. Sengupta at a salary of $150,000 only months after the university declined to grant female deans increases to reach $145,000.
Case Status
As of December 5, Sul Ross State University had not yet filed its response — a routine delay in federal cases, which often take weeks for formal service. The lawsuit is assigned to U.S. District Judge David Counts, and Tucker has requested a jury trial. She is seeking back pay, compensatory damages, attorney’s fees, and additional relief.
