Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 8, 1990                   TAG: 9003082073
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RALEIGH, N.C.                                 LENGTH: Medium

ATTORNEY GENERAL JOINS VALVANO NEGOTIATIONS

On Wednesday, the North Carolina attorney general's office said it would join the negotiations over Valvano's contract. Attorney General Lacy Thornburg also said that N.C. State could hire a private lawyer to help in the talks, as long as state funds weren't used to pay the lawyer's fee.

Thornburg's office entered the dispute at the request of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, spokesman John Simmons said. Valvano's lawyer, Art Kaminsky of New York, had no immediate comment, spokesman Pat Gibbons said.

Chief deputy attorney general Andrew Vanore Jr. will represent the state, Simmons said.

Valvano has been in the middle of a controversy involving former Wolfpack star Charles Shackleford, who admitted receiving $65,000 while a player at N.C. State. Valvano also has been the target of criticism in the wake of allegations of point-shaving in games during the 1987-88 season. The point-shaving allegations are being investigated by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

Simmons said N.C. State would be represented by Raleigh lawyer Howard Manning, 75, who specializes in civil litigation.

"Some members of the board of trustees thought it would help to have a private attorney," Simmons said.

Asked why the attorney general's office entered the matter, Simmons said, "They want to be sure they have the best representation possible to look after the university's interest. This is a difficult negotiation so they want to put the best team on the court they could."

Manning is scheduled to meet in executive session Friday with the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina system, which oversees public universities in the state.