Harassment claims could impact ASU men’s hoops
These are heady times for the Arizona State men’s basketball program. A seven-game winning streak has propelled the Sun Devils into first place in the Pac-12 and likely secured them a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season.
That’s something the program hasn’t accomplished since basketball shorts were made of satin and came with a belt.
But when it comes to Sun Devils men’s basketball, good times typically have come with a short expiration date.
Those who care about the program should be worried about its future after news broke last week that a former associate athletic director, who oversaw the basketball program, is claiming he was fired in retaliation for reporting that a booster had sexually harassed three women, including his wife.
The documents made public contain claims by David Cohen, a former senior associate athletic director. An ASU's investigation contradicted many of those claims. Sorting out the truth isn’t easy.
But reading them makes me wonder
how much longer Hurley will want to stick around.
First, some background.
The $1.5 million notice of claim, essentially a precursor to a lawsuit, alleges Athletic Director Ray Anderson ignored reports that Bart Wear, an alumnus and booster who regularly attended basketball games at home and away, harassed three women at games.
Cohen claims Wear harassed Cohen’s wife, Kathy, and two other women.
typically doesn't identify sexual harassment victims unless they agree to allow their names to be used. Kathy Cohen is part of the claim. The other two women are not. Their names are redacted in the copy of the notice released to media, so we are not using their names.
Cohen claims he was fired in retaliation for reporting the incidents.
An investigation by the university confirmed harassment occurred but concluded Cohen’s firing was unrelated to his reporting them.
In his claim, Cohen asserts that Anderson, three other ASU officials and a member of the Arizona Board of Regents were told of Wear’s alleged harassment several times between March and August of 2019. But the university didn’t launch an investigation until Aug.16.
Meanwhile, Cohen claims, ASU maintained close ties with Wear until late October, when Wear’s attorney said Wear would cease contact with the basketball program, according to the investigator’s report.
But Wear attended a game at Desert Financial Arena as late as Dec. 7, after which the university cancelled Wear’s season tickets and told him to disassociate himself from the university.
Wear was well-known as a basketball booster. According to The Athletic, it was Wear who arranged last season for a private plane to take forward Zylan Cheatham from Phoenix, where he was attending a memorial service for his brother, to San Jose, Calif., so Cheatham could play against Stanford.
In a statement issued last week, the university acknowledged “that the matter should have been resolved in a quicker time frame and has taken steps to remind those involved of the policy.”
To say the least, that acknowledgement is a poor reflection on Anderson and ASU. The university should have investigated the allegations quickly, no matter the circumstances or who made them.
But when they come from an employee and his wife?
When two other women acknowledge they also were harassed?
In the era of the #MeToo movement? The school’s response defies common sense, and it lends credence to Cohen’s assertion in his claim that ASU cared more about maintaining its relationship with a booster than investigating the alleged harassment.
Cohen was removed from his job in August and officially fired in December. ASU said it was because of his refusal to cooperate with a reorganization of the entire athletic department.
ASU officials, including Anderson and Hurley, have declined comment on Cohen’s claims.
Within the athletic department, Cohen was known as somewhat of a loose cannon, according to sources. But he and Hurley worked hard to upgrade the Sun Devils’ schedule, which included perennial power Kansas coming to Tempe last season.
Cohen and Hurley were close. Their wives often sat together at games. It’s unknown if handling of the harassment claims and Cohen’s firing have affected how the Hurleys feel about ASU, or specifically, Anderson.
Hiring Hurley in 2015 might be the best move Anderson has made at ASU. Their relationship appears to have shifted, but despite rumors to the contrary, the two men continue to talk, sources said.
How functional the relationship is might be tested like never before in the coming months. Hurley, who is under contract through 2024, has said repeatedly he has no designs on leaving ASU.
We’re likely to find out this spring if he’s had a change of heart.