Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 22, 1990 TAG: 9003222001
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RALEIGH, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
The News and Observer of Raleigh reported in today's editions that if Valvano refuses, he may have to go to court to seek compensation for the 4 1/2 years remaining on his contract as head basketball coach.
The decision came after trustees listened to a presentation by acting chancellor Larry Monteith on Tuesday about a widespread lack of progress of Valvano's recruits in the classroom. Several people familiar with details of the meeting described Monteith's presentation and the board's discussion.
Monteith, a former engineering professor and dean, turned repeatedly to a chalkboard in presenting the 13-member board with a litany of statistics about academic problems of players on Valvano's teams.
"He really laid it all out about the academic performance of the team," one unidentified person was quoted as saying. "It's miserable."
The review included previously unreleased information from the campus public-safety office, which documented a pattern of basketball players being in trouble with campus authorities.
It also included data about the academic performance of football players, whose grade-point averages have increased more than half a letter grade since coach Dick Sheridan arrived in 1986.
"You can only say `he's a good guy' and `he wasn't hired to teach, but to coach,' so often," the newspaper quoted another person as saying.
Howard Manning, a Raleigh lawyer who is representing the board in its negotiations with the coach's agent, asked trustees for a week to secure Valvano's resignation.
Manning told board members he planned to present the information about serious academic problems to Art Kaminsky, Valvano's agent. It was not clear what kind of financial settlement, if any, would accompany Manning's request for a resignation.
Trustees agreed not to release the negative information about academics, but indicated they would do so if Valvano refused to step down.
"That's the leverage they have," one person told the newspaper.
Last year, a six-month investigation by University of North Carolina system officials found that academic rules had been abused repeatedly to keep certain players eligible to compete. Those findings prompted broad reforms in sports programs throughout the university system.
At least two trustees, Clarence Lightner of Raleigh and Daniel Gunter of Gastonia, said during the meeting they thought Valvano should have had a chance to speak to the board before a decision was made. However, after hearing from Monteith and Manning, they agreed Manning should be authorized to negotiate a settlement.
University officials reached Wednesday refused to comment publicly on what transpired at the meeting, referring all inquiries to Manning, who could not be reached for comment.
Valvano appeared at a meeting of the Lee-Moore County chapter of the Wolfpack Club on Tuesday night. Reporters were not allowed into the gathering. He did not comment on the trustees' meeting, saying only, "We're just taking each day one day at a time." Jim Valvano 4 1/2 years left on contract
by CNB