Louisville board meets, may vote on Pitino
One of the most significant weeks in the University of Louisville’s modern history has begun, with the employment statuses of two highly influential men to be decided by the school’s boards.
First up on Monday is the University of Louisville Athletic Association’s determination of men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino’s job. Pitino was placed on administrative leave Sept. 27, and interim Louisville President Greg Postel was tasked by the ULAA on Oct. 2 with pursuing a for cause termination of Pitino’s contract.
Now Pitino’s employment status will be discussed by the ULAA. The day begins with a 15minute ULAA personnel committee meeting scheduled for 8:45 a.m. ET and the full ULAA board meeting beginning at 9.
Who votes? In a case like this, the entire ULAA board will vote. There are 28 members on the ULAA’s board of directors: nine faculty members; four university administrators; two board of trustees members; two students; one full-time university staff member; two vice presidents and
the president; and seven at-large appointees. What are they voting on?
They’ll be voting on Pitino’s employment status at the university. It’s unclear if the board will also discuss the employment of associate head coach Kenny Johnson, who has been put on administrative leave, but the ULAA has the power to dismiss him if it finds he is connected to “significant or repetitive violations to the existing ULAA, NCAA or Atlantic Coast Conference rules or regulations.”
Will Pitino be there? It is not known if Pitino plans to attend in person.
He could join the meeting via video conference, but it seems
more likely he will let his lawyers talk. What part of this is public?
The personnel committee’s meeting will be behind closed doors, as will any personnel discussion by the full board. But votes are conducted in public view. Does Pitino have recourse
if he’s fired? Sure, he can sue the university for a breach of contract. His attorney, Steve Pence, already said that is an option, and warned the university of that possibility when Postel announced he’d pursue firing Pitino.
Greer writes for The (Louisville) Courier-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network.