Fired Grambling AD, Other Ath Dept Employees Sue Grambling

[TexasTerror]

Just came across this AP story in the New Orleans fishwrap. Apparently, the former Grambling AD and several others who have been fired since July 2004 are working together as part of a lawsuit in which the top brass are being accused of having a "vendetta" against the fired, who questioned their financial dealings...

Fired Grambling employees fire back with lawsuit
4/19/2006, 9:11 a.m. CT
The Associated Press

GRAMBLING, La. (AP) — Several former Grambling State University employees, including a fired athletic director, have filed a suit alleging wrongful and illegal termination.

The plaintiffs six employees laid off in January, two fired in December, one who was demoted and former Athletic Director Al Dennis, who was fired on President Horace Judson's first day on the job on July 1, 2004.

The suit, filed against the university and the University of Louisiana System, alleges that Judson and Billy Owens, Grambling's vice president for finance, had a "personal vendatta" against the employees.

Grambling used Hurricane Katrina and the resulting budget cuts as an excuse to eliminate people who questioned the university's financial practices, said Catherine Nicholson, associate director of development, who was laid off in January.

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-24/1145456356249790.xml&storylist=louisiana

[datruth4u]

Just came across this AP story in the New Orleans fishwrap. Apparently, the former Grambling AD and several others who have been fired since July 2004 are working together as part of a lawsuit in which the top brass are being accused of having a "vendetta" against the fired, who questioned their financial dealings...

Fired Grambling employees fire back with lawsuit
4/19/2006, 9:11 a.m. CT
The Associated Press

GRAMBLING, La. (AP) — Several former Grambling State University employees, including a fired athletic director, have filed a suit alleging wrongful and illegal termination.

The plaintiffs six employees laid off in January, two fired in December, one who was demoted and former Athletic Director Al Dennis, who was fired on President Horace Judson's first day on the job on July 1, 2004.

The suit, filed against the university and the University of Louisiana System, alleges that Judson and Billy Owens, Grambling's vice president for finance, had a "personal vendatta" against the employees.

Grambling used Hurricane Katrina and the resulting budget cuts as an excuse to eliminate people who questioned the university's financial practices, said Catherine Nicholson, associate director of development, who was laid off in January.

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-24/1145456356249790.xml&storylist=louisiana



Yea it obvious you have something against Grambling now. This has no place on anygivensaturday.com!

[TexasTerror]

Yea it obvious you have something against Grambling now. This has no place on anygivensaturday.com!

Why not? Grambling, is it a I-AA program? Yes. :nod:

Do actions regarding ADs have a major impact on football programs? Absolutely.:nod:

If it were a story about an AD stepping down (i.e like when I posted about the SELA AD), I would've posted it. If it were an editorial questioning the actions of an AD from a newspaper (i.e like when I posted about Northern Colorado's AD and the sentiment from the Greely Tribune), I would've posted it.

What makes Grambling different than any other I-AA? It's "fair game" and considering it's a former I-AA pushing legal action against their former school, I'm sure many in the I-AA community would be interesting. :D

What makes those of AGS the most informed I-AA fans? The fact that people from across the country share information on their programs whether it official releases, newspaper articles, etc. Should I-AA fans on this AGS board not post articles about Grambling? :confused:

[TexasTerror]

From dealing with one lawsuit to someone who has dealt with another lawsuit. This woman has all the credentials in the world and seems very admirable. Interestingly enough, Nick Deriso explains that she once sued another HBCU, Tennesee State over releasing her due to her standing up for Title IX. That had to take guts!

Friday, April 21, 2006
Add this to AD search
Vivian Fuller, a pioneering woman in collegiate athletics administration, has emerged as a late finalist in Grambling's AD search.

An athletics director at three Division I institutions over the years, she helped break new ground for women administrators. Most notable was a stint beginning in 1997 at the historically black Tennessee State, where she became the first African-American woman to lead a D-I athletics program that included football - any one of only a handful of females ever.

The next season, TSU was 9-3, winning the Ohio Valley Conference championship. But Fuller's Tennessee tenure ended with a thud, when she was abruptly let go in 1998.

She blamed the situation on her continued fight to protect Title IX, which seeks to establish equality for women in collegiate sports. Fuller filed a lawsuit that objected to her dismissal, which was settled in 2000.

http://www.thenewsstar.com/news/blogs/blog3/index.html