Personnel remains intact, but improvements include getting police involved in criminal situations sooner.
By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published June 14, 2003
TALLAHASSEE - Florida State president T.K. Wetherell unveiled to the board of trustees Friday a laundry list of changes for the athletic department he hopes will head off some of the problems exposed in the Adrian McPherson saga.
Many of the more than 50 recommendations contained in a pair of departmental reviews are organizational. None involve personnel changes despite criticism of associate athletic director for football operations Andy Urbanic, associate athletic director for compliance Bob Minnix and athletic director Dave Hart.
"Some of the recommendations I feel are very strong," said new trustee Derrick Brooks, the former FSU All-American and Bucs star linebacker. They include:
Next time a criminal situation or rumor of one arises, FSU police will be called in immediately instead of having the compliance office handle an investigation.
The athletic board will be asked to devise a plan to tie a coach's contractual bonus to more than wins and titles, adding graduation and discipline as factors.
Wetherell will diversify the athletic board, adding at least two student-athletes (one man, one women), the dean of undergraduate studies, vice president for student affairs, executive director of the varsity club and FSU chief of police to improve "communication" and ensure "a more appropriate response" to issues.
"Will it solve every problem? We hope so. That is our goal," Wetherell said. "We may make mistakes in the future, but we hope not to make the same mistakes we've made."
Those have been well documented. Early last summer, allegations were raised that McPherson had been gambling with a bookie. Minnix interviewed three and, though he later admitted he did not believe McPherson's denials, stopped his investigation. In his 10-page internal report to Wetherell, FSU inspector general David Coury called that probe "inadequate."
Wetherell defended Minnix, saying he is more knowledgeable and more experienced in dealing with NCAA issues. He wants criminal investigations left to professionals, a stance FSU chief of police Carey Drayton echoed.
"I've talked to Bob and it's tough for him, without police powers, to talk to an individual in those situations," Drayton said. "If someone lies to Bob, there's no repercussions. There's repercussions if he lies to the police."
Drayton said it is better for police to investigate from the start instead of jumping in late, as was the case in December when campus police, Tallahassee Police and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement began a three-month investigation into rumors McPherson had gambled. That culminated with a misdemeanor charge that McPherson bet via the Internet. Last week, the former quarterback's trial ended with a hung jury.
About the same time Minnix looked into gambling rumors, Urbanic investigated claims McPherson had stolen credit cards. But after interviewing McPherson and two student managers, Urbanic left it to the managers' parents to call law enforcement. No charges were filed.
"In our opinion, handling such serious allegations in this manner exposes the university to significant risk and again shows lack of forethought and good judgment," Coury wrote. "His actions also give the appearance of not wanting to acknowledge that a serious problem may have existed within the athletics department."
That helped fuel the perception of a coverup. "All activities will be in writing and will be available," Wetherell said. "When there are questions, there needs to be an accountability factor."
He said tying a coach's bonus pay (football coach Bobby Bowden gets $175,000 if his team wins the Bowl Championship Series finale; basketball coach Leonard Hamilton receives $100,000 if his team reaches the Final Four) to graduation and discipline will say volumes about accountability and priorities.
"We want, and our coaches want, to make a statement," Wetherell said.
Finally, Wetherell said changes should address a core problem, that the athletic department had become an island unto itself. Coury called it a "culture of isolation," a tone established by Hart.
"We unestablished that culture today," said Wetherell, who praised Hart for the overall job he has done.
Wetherell will evaluate him later this summer. Hart will evaluate his staff first, which could lead to disciplinary action. Hart, who had to leave the meeting early for a trip to Orlando on ACC expansion business, said he would reserve comment until he had the chance to read the reports.
Meanwhile, FSU will have to brace for the NCAA to ask about gambling and possibly boosters. But Wetherell does not see the changes as preemptive measures to mitigate possible sanction.
"I think the NCAA will look at us based on what we've done and recognize we've been in compliance; I don't think there's any problem there," he said. "As a matter of fact, I think they'll find we've been out front on a number of those things."
- Times staff writer Pete Young contributed to this report.
