Athletic department changes course

Bringing the athletic department back into the fold with the rest of the university and avoiding a possible repeat of the Adrian McPherson scandal were the driving forces behind a slew of changes set to take place in the Florida State University athletic department.

FSU President T.K. Wetherell said that he will follow the recommendations of two separate athletic department reviews released Friday – one conducted by FSU Inspector General David Coury and the other by a private consulting firm.

The reports were conducted independently but reached many of the same conclusions – primarily, that the athletic department operates “in isolation” from the rest of the university to the detriment of both entities.

The inspector general’s report went on to criticize athletic director Dave Hart for creating that “culture of isolation” and for his indirect role in the mishandling of the McPherson investigations.

Though Wetherell said no athletic department employees had been disciplined as a result of the reports, he added that Hart would evaluate all of his employees this summer, as usual. And in turn, Wetherell will evaluate Hart.

When asked directly if Hart’s job was in jeopardy, Wetherell said he had no plans to make a change. He pointed to Hart’s role in the recent ACC expansion talks and other successes in the athletic program.

The inspector general’s review focused on helping the athletic department improve communication with other university departments, with particular focus on the recent police task force report on gambling within the athletic program.

Though the inspector general found no evidence of wrongdoing in the McPherson case, he said the athletic department made several errors that contributed to media allegations of a “cover-up.”

The department didn’t notify the police immediately of allegations against McPherson.

The investigation into McPherson’s alleged gambling were conducted by one administrator, Bob Minnix, while another official, Andy Urbanic, handled the credit card theft allegations. The two administrators failed to discuss their investigations – if they had, they may have established a link that would have given the charges more credibility.

Minnix interviewed only three people and did not follow sound investigative techniques, which led to an “inadequate” investigation.

Urbanic’s decision to encourage the parents of the alleged victims in the credit card theft to pursue criminal charges showed a “lack of forethought and good judgment. (Urbanic) abrogated his responsibility not only to the alleged victims, but also to the university community.”

No notes were taken during either investigation in an effort to protect the accused athlete’s reputation. But the Buckley Amendment, which ensures student privacy, would have protected the student’s identity while preserving the integrity of the investigation.

“While we identified no evidence to support an intentional ‘cover up,’ with the department’s isolation from the university community, along with its investigative practices, it is understandable how such a perception was created,” Coury wrote.

When asked by Coury about these actions, Hart told the inspector general that his employees were following his department policies. According to the report, Hart said, “That process was the process that the people involved were familiar with. They executed that process to the best of their abilities.”

The inspector general took issue with several other athletic department policies that contribute to isolation from the university, and he offered recommendations to resolve those issues.

The athletic department operates with a policy that “all athletic department personnel should go to their supervisor before contacting officers in the university and state administration.” Coury said that policy inhibits communication between the department and the university. He recommended that the athletic department work to build better relationships with other university offices.

The athletic department has not made it a practice to seek counsel from the FSU police or other university officials regarding reports of potential criminal matters. He recommended that the department establish a written policy requiring that the FSU police be “contacted immediately upon receiving any allegation of criminal activity.”

The inspector general also reported that quarterbacks coach Daryl Dickey acted appropriately in his role concerning the McPherson investigation. Coury added that he also investigated Dickey’s handling of problems with another player’s class attendance and found that the coach did more than was required to rectify that situation.

The inspector general also made several general recommendations, not necessarily related to the McPherson case. Among them:

That the associate athletics director for Student Services report directly to the vice president of Student Affairs, instead of the athletic director.

Designate a central person in the athletic department to coordinate allegations of wrongdoing by athletes.

Put in writing operational procedures for investigating allegations of wrongdoing.

Institute periodic training for those handling internal investigations.

Scrap policy of requiring employees to see their supervisors before contacting officers in other departments or the state administration. Instead, that behavior should be encouraged.

MGT review

The independent review by MGT of America dovetailed with the inspector general’s report in encouraging the athletic department to better interact with the university.

The consulting firm made 48 recommendations, though some focused on minor items, such as making certain materials easier to read or available online. Among the major suggestions:

Enact a limit so members of the athletic board serve no more than six years. Several current members have served more than 10 years, “which can result in questions being raised about the impartiality of the committee.”

Place senior associate athletics director Kim Record in charge of all women’s sports and men’s basketball. Record currently oversees several men’s and women’s sports, which has caused some female athletes to feel that they have no one to turn to as a supporter of women’s athletics.

Have the associate athletic director for compliance, Bob Minnix, report to the athletic director on non-legal issues and to the university’s legal counsel on all other issues.

Have the sports information director report to both the athletic director and to the office of university relations. “Coordination and approval processes that go through a vice president’s office are extremely critical when press releases may be perceived to be controversial.”

Require all coaches to enforce a uniform policy on class attendance by student athletes. Currently, different sports have different rules, and some coaches do not apply their own rules consistently.

Develop a compensation package for staff that relates to academic performance and citizenship of student-athletes.

Wetherell said he intends to put all of the recommendations into place – some immediately and others in the near future – though he acknowledged that some could be reconsidered.

Wetherell said he already has begun working with Hart on implementing these changes.

As an example of how quickly these changes will take place, Wetherell pointed to the FSU athletic board. He announced a plan to broaden the membership of that board by including more faculty members, two student-athletes, the FSU police chief and others.