Advertisement

Trustees uphold DuBose decision

 
Published Aug. 13, 1999|Updated Sept. 29, 2005

Alabama trustees upheld on Thursday the decision to discipline rather than fire coach Mike DuBose, who lied about his relationship with an employee who accused him of sexual harassment.

Sid McDonald, president pro tem of the system's governing board, said some trustees thought president Andrew Sorensen's disciplinary action should be overturned. But, he said, that was not the "prevailing opinion" of the board.

McDonald, commenting after the trustees met for about four hours behind closed doors, said the DuBose matter will remain under review and could come up again when the board meets in mid-September. But he said it would take "new information" to change the board's position.

DuBose, starting his third season, had his salary cut by $360,000 over the next three years. The university also agreed to pay $350,000 to the employee who filed the sexual harassment complaint against DuBose.

DuBose, who said during a May news conference that rumors about him and an employee were false, admitted last week that he'd lied. He didn't elaborate, and university officials didn't identify the employee.

McDonald said the board "will think of Mike DuBose as being on probation."

Sorensen, speaking after the trustees' private session, said he doesn't know "for sure" if he still can trust DuBose to abide by NCAA regulations. "That does make it difficult," he said.

He said he could accept whatever the board chose to do, even if it eventually decides to fire the coach. But, he said: "I do not expect that to happen."

DuBose, who previously met with Sorensen, said before the trustees' session that he had no anxiety about it. He did not immediately return a phone message left at his Tuscaloosa office.

Trustees have complained the decision by Sorensen was made without their knowledge or input.

Outside the meeting, system chancellor Thomas Meredith said he didn't tell trustees about the sexual harassment claim against DuBose at the request of Sorensen.

"The negotiations were intense. They were trying to hold it close," Meredith said of the lawyers' settlement talks. But he said board members have asked to be better informed "and they should have been."

OSBORNE GOES TO HALL: Former Nebraska coach Tom Osborne will be enshrined into the College Hall of Fame today. Other enshrinees: Division I players Al Brosky, Brad Budde, Bill Fralic, Randy Gradishar, Bo Jackson, Mel Long, Jim McMahon, Jerry Rhome, Jim Richter, Johnny Roland, Alex Sarkisian and Bill Stanfill.

HULA BOWL: Barry Alvarez of Wisconsin and Tennessee's Phil Fulmer will be the opposing coaches. The game is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2000, at Maui's War Memorial Stadium.

THE CITADEL: The university's athletic department will end one of the school's more recent traditions when it takes down the "Welcome to the Boneyard" sign behind one end zone at Johnson Hagood Stadium. This summer's dig beneath the stadium for the remains of the crew of the Confederate submarine Hunley hit a little too close to home, athletic director Walt Nadzak said. "We didn't want to be seen as insensitive or disrespectful," he said. "I think most people will understand that we don't want to offend anyone."

MISSISSIPPI: Senior WR Grant Heard had arthroscopic surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his right knee, but he should be ready to play in the season opener.

U