Former Chapman School of Communication dean sparks public outrage after derogatory remarks

Orange County Board of Education trustee Lisa Sparks attracts criticism after vocalizing concerns about a California state senator during a recent press conference interview. JAKE NEEDHAM, Staff Photographer

The name of one of the students interviewed has been changed to “Alex,” as they asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution from Chapman administration.

Lisa Sparks, the former dean of Chapman University’s School of Communication, is currently facing backlash for comments she made about California Sen. Dave Min (D-37) during a Jan. 20 press conference interview. The former Republican congressional candidate is being labeled racist and dangerous to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community as a result.

“(Min) is sort of a media whore trying to get attention in Orange County, trying to make a name for himself at the expense of Orange County voters, and that’s a problem,” Sparks said in an interview with news company, Costa Mesa Brief. “So this Senator Min, State Senator Min, a (University of California, Irvine) law professor imported from wherever he was imported on the East Coast — not that that’s a bad thing — I’m just saying, this makes no sense.”

The public believed Sparks’ comments about Min being “imported” were racist and derogatory, especially with the rise in Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) hate crimes over the past year. The term “importing” is commonly used to describe buying and shipping in products from one country to another. Min is a son of Korean immigrants and actively shares his appreciation for the Asian-American community in his press releases and on his social media accounts.

Alex, a junior business administration student at Chapman University who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, disclosed their thoughts on Sparks’ controversial legacy to The Panther.

“As a former Chapman employee, OC Board Trustee and as someone who is often quoted and speaks to the media, (Sparks) should understand the effect her words have on her community and on Chapman University,” Alex said. “And even if what she said wasn’t meant to be racist, if she uses buzz words like ‘imported,’ it is going to be directly correlated with racism no matter what way you look at it.”

Sparks made her comments following a discussion about Min’s SB 286 bill, which would require elections for seats on the Orange County Board of Education (OCBOE) to be held during the November general election. 

Three OCBOE trustees, including Sparks, were interviewed regarding Min’s reform bill, which  would move their board elections from the primaries to the general election. If the bill is passed, OCBOE trustees running in the election would have to confront a much larger and bluer turnout than they faced during the primaries. 

While Sparks continued to hold her position at Chapman, she was also elected as a public official to serve on the Orange County Board of Education from 2018-2022. She stepped down from her role as dean in 2021, but her connection to the university remains, through her existing Chapman faculty profile, as well as her marriage to current Chapman president Daniele Struppa.

“The term importing is commonly used to describe shipping products from one country to another,” wrote one Twitter user Jan. 21. “Lisa Sparks’ use of this word felt like an intentional dog whistle to her racist supporters. I am so disgusted and disappointed by @ChapmanU‘s Dean.”

Now, students like Alex are fearful Sparks’ remarks could end up painting Chapman University in a negative light. 

But Sparks is no stranger to criticism at the university. Most notably, she sparked outrage among students, faculty and staff in 2019 after an email war between her and an alumnus over the efficacy of bringing former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to campus was publicized.

Alex said Sparks’ recent comments against Min hold the potential to ignite backlash against the university, specifically from the campus Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

Neither Sparks or Min has responded to The Panther’s requests for comment.

This is a developing story. Follow The Panther on social media and at www.thepanthernewspaper.org for updates.