Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 20, 1993 TAG: 9307200126
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: SCOTT BLANCHARD STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
\ Former Virginia Tech cross country coach Todd Scully won his grievance against the school, which fired him two years ago.
A Tech faculty senate panel voted 5-0 on July 8 in favor of Scully's claim that he was not given due process before Tech athletic director Dave Braine fired him in May of 1991, Scully confirmed Monday.
The panel, whose decision is a recommendation to Tech executive vice president Minnis Ridenour, also will recommend Scully receive some back pay, Scully said.
Ridenour can accept or reject the decision or modify it. Ridenour was out of town and could not be reached for comment. Braine, on vacation, was unavailable for comment.
Scully said the panel agreed with his contention that, although Braine told him he was not tenured faculty, he was due some of the rights faculty members have. He was told a month before his contract expired that it would not be renewed.
"I felt sort of happy with the decision the faculty senate had made, that my interpretation of my contract was the right interpretation," said Scully, who coached the Hokies for 15 years. "I said the faculty handbook was my guide, and I had certain rights, [and] that there were improper procedures. It was not correctly done. I should have been given notice."
Scully was reluctant to share the contents of a letter he said was sent to his mother's address that informed him of the panel's decision, saying he hadn't actually read the letter. However, he confirmed it said in part that he was improperly dismissed after a complaint of sexual harassment and that the episode was not properly handled by Tech's athletic administration.
Scully said his grievance did not ask for reinstatement. Instead, he said, the issue was job security.
In October 1990, Scully told the team he would resign, then changed his mind. In May 1991, Braine said Scully's decision to quit prompted a six-month look at the cross country program.
After he was fired, Scully said he believed his dismissal was prompted by the complaints of several runners and that Tech acted before verifying the charges.
After Scully left, Tech began interviewing cross country runners, asking if Scully ever had broken NCAA rules. That investigation turned up what Tech believes are several violations. The case is waiting to be heard by the NCAA's infractions committee.
Scully initially claimed he was never told why he was fired; later, he admitted he was told, but neither he nor Tech would reveal the reason. Scully maintained, however, that Tech made a "mistake" in firing him and pursued the grievance.
Scully coached Tech to eight straight men's cross country championships, won four Metro Conference coach of the year awards and produced 12 All-America runners.
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.