Thanks to Judy Guinn for bringing this to my attention!
Courier Journal
Andrew Wolfson, @adwolfson8:32 p.m. EST February 15, 2016
One of the six members of the University of Louisville’s Investigations Committee activated after allegations that dancers and prostitutes were provided to basketball players and recruits said Monday night he opposed the post-season ban announced this month by President James Ramsey.
Professor Ricky Jones, chair of the Pan African Studies Department, said there was no vote on the matter and that Ramsey made the call himself about the team sitting out the ACC and NCAA tournaments.
In an interview, Jones also said there were no startling revelations in an update on the NCAA probe that was provided to the university the day before the decision was announced.
“There was nothing we saw that implicated anyone but Andre McGee,” Jones said. McGee was the former director of basketball operations whom Katina Powell has accused of paying $10,000 over four years from 2010 to 2014 to entertain prospects and players.
Jones said there was no evidence that anyone besides McGee knew that money was being paid to Powell to provide entertainment to parties, or any proof the money came from university sources.
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Ramsey announced Feb. 5 that after consulting with Athletic Director Tom Jurich that they decided to withhold the team from post-season competition this year. They said the update he received the day before showed that it was reasonable to conclude violations occurred.
The decision sparked criticism from fans and analysts who said it was unfair to current players, particularly graduate transfers Damion Lee and Trey Lewis, who came to U of L to experience post-season play.
The university declined to release the names of the investigations panel until Monday. Besides Jones, its members are Ramsey; Elaine Wise, professor and chair of the division of humanities; Jerry Tolson, professor of Jazz Studies and Music Education; general counsel Leslie Strohm; and John Carns, senior athletic director for compliance.
Jones said he is not a critic of Ramsey but thinks it was unfair to punish players on the current roster who were not involved in the allegations.
“The institution really needed to fight it out so you are not punishing people who weren’t involved,” he said.
John Karman, a spokesman for the university, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Reporter Andrew Wolfson can be reached at 502-582-7189 or awolfson@courier-journal.com.
