A former ethnic studies professor at the University of California, Riverside , is reportedly resigning in the wake of allegations that she falsely claimed Cherokee heritage.

Andrea Smith, 57, will be allowed to remain in her position as an educator at the institution until August 2024, and she will retain retirement benefits and the title of professor emeritus when she leaves UC Riverside, according to a report.

SOCIAL SECURITY UPDATE: DIRECT PAYMENT WORTH $914 ARRIVES IN THREE DAYS

“Professor Smith agrees to not make any affirmative claims of Native American heritage in connection with her university work for the duration of her university employment,” according to a separation agreement cited in the report.

“However, if asked about her heritage in connection with her university work, Professor Smith is permitted to disclose her opinion on her Native American heritage.”

Furthermore, upwards of $5,000 will be gifted to Smith by the institution to cover legal costs, and any investigation into her fraudulently claiming Cherokee heritage will cease, the report noted.

“The agreement follows a complaint by UC Riverside faculty, alleging that Smith fraudulently claimed Native American identity,” said John Warren, a university spokesman.

“The nine-page separation agreement will bring a negotiated end to Professor Smith’s employment with the university.”

Smith’s family tree is not confirmed, but in 2015, she denounced so-called “identity-policing.

“I have always been and will always be Cherokee,” she said. “I have consistently identified myself based on what I knew to be true.”

Complaints accusing Smith of falsely claiming Native American heritage first arose on Aug. 23, 2022, after at least 13 university faculty members supposedly accused the professor.

“No formal University investigation of the allegations has occurred, and no findings have been made as to the merit of the allegations,” the separation agreement reads. “Professor Smith denies and disputes the allegations contained in the Complaint.”

An agreement between the institution and Smith was reached to “avoid the substantial expense and inconvenience of further administrative or legal proceedings,” according to the agreement.

Having Cherokee ancestry and being a registered member of the Cherokee tribe are not equivalent, according to the Cherokee Indian Center.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“Registration in the national registry known as the Dawes Rolls has come to be critical in issues of Indian citizenship and land claims,” the organization said.

“Many people did not sign up on these rolls because they feared government persecution if their ethnicity was formally entered into the system.”