[h=1]Why Major Applewhite's affair with Texas student trainer came out four years later[/h]George Schroeder, USA TODAY Sports 11:19 p.m. EST February 2, 2013
Major Applewhite, a University of Texas football assistant, admitted Friday he had an affair with a Longhorns student in 2009. (Photo: Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports)
[h=3]Story Highlights[/h]
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Friday night's revelation by the University of Texas of assistant football coach Major Applewhite's affair with a student is directly related to the forced resignation last month of women's track and field coach Bev Kearney.
A person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports that a potential lawsuit by Kearney prompted Texas officials to inform the UT System Board of Regents of Applewhite's indiscretion, which occurred four years ago. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
THE REVELATION: Texas assistant Applewhite had affair with student
RELATED: Details of Major Applewhite's employment status
The board hastily scheduled a special meeting by telephone for Sunday. The agenda includes discussions of legal issues related to "individual athletics personnel" and "inappropriate relationships between employees and students."
According to a statement released Friday by Texas, Applewhite engaged in "inappropriate, consensual behavior with an adult student" during the Longhorns' trip to the Fiesta Bowl after the 2008 regular season. The student was working with the football team as an athletic trainer, according to the person with knowledge of the situation.
In a letter of reprimand dated Feb. 5, 2009, Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds wrote that Applewhite's salary would be frozen until Jan. 1, 2010. Applewhite was making $260,500, including base salary and other guaranteed university compensation, as the Longhorns' running backs coach. In 2012, as co-offensive coordinator, he made $575,000 in guaranteed compensation.
Kearney, who led Texas' women's track and field teams to six national championships during 20 years at Texas – and won another national title at Florida in 1992, shortly before becoming the Longhorns' coach – was put on paid leave last November and resigned last month in lieu of being fired after she admitted to having a consensual relationship with a Texas track athlete in 2002.
The Associated Press reported last November that just before Kearney was placed on leave, Texas women's athletic director Chris Plonsky had recommended Kearney be given a raise from a base salary of $270,000 to $397,000, along with a long-term contract.
The University of Texas' policy for faculty and staff strongly discourages but does not prohibit consensual relationships between staff and students or subordinates. The policy requires the staff member to disclose the relationship to a supervisor and "cooperate in making alternative arrangements for the supervision, evaluation, teaching, grading or advising of the employee, student and/or student employee."
Kearney told the Austin American-Statesman last month that she had not disclosed the relationship at the time, which she said lasted several months, but admitted to it when confronted last November.
Kearney did not return phone calls Saturday. The person with knowledge of the situation said Kearney is considering a lawsuit claiming other coaches, professors and administrators at Texas were not punished as harshly for similar misconduct.
In an email, Texas spokesman John Bianco said Dodds, Applewhite and coach Mack Brown would not be made available for interviews and that the school would have no further comment.
Brenda Pejovich, a member of the board of regents, declined comment Saturday when reached by USA TODAY Sports. Several other board members did not return phone messages. Pejovich referred questions to the board's legal counsel and said the board would have no comment after Sunday's meeting. According to the agenda, no action is planned during the meeting.
But in a statement released Friday, board of regents chairman Gene Powell and University of Texas System chancellor Francisco Cigarroa expressed "great disappointment and sadness" to learn "a short time ago" about the reprimand given to Applewhite. The statement also said, "We expect our coaches to adhere to the highest standards of conduct and lead by example."
Applewhite, 34, a former Texas quarterback, admitted in a statement to a "one-time occurrence" of "behavior that was totally inappropriate" and apologized for causing embarrassment to the school. He added: "Through counsel I have worked with my wife and the incident is behind us. I am regretful for my mistake and humbled by this experience."
Applewhite received a $9,000 raise in 2010. In 2011, when he was promoted to co-offensive coordinator (with Bryan Harsin), his guaranteed compensation increased to $501,000; in 2012, it jumped to $575,000. When Harsin left to become Arkansas State's head coach, Applewhite remained co-offensive coordinator but was given play-calling responsibilities.
Patti Ohlendorf, Texas' vice president for legal affairs, did not return messages Saturday. Ohlendorf told CNN last month Kearney's relationship with the student was "unprofessional and unacceptable" and said the relationship "crosses the line of trust placed in the head coach for all aspects of the athletic program and in the best interests of the student-athletes in the program." Ohlendorf appeared to be drawing a distinction between actions of a head coach and an assistant.
Ohlendorf also told the American-Statesman: "We believe Bev is a good person. Bev has done a lot for the university over the years. We think this is a terrible mistake, and I know it's something she regrets. But it's not the type of thing that can happen between a coach and a student-athlete on the team."
In a statement released Friday, Dodds said he learned of Applewhite's affair in January 2009 and "initiated an inquiry with assistance from the university's Legal Affairs office." In the letter of reprimand, which was released by Texas to USA TODAY Sports, Dodds informed Applewhite his salary would be frozen through the remainder of 2009 and required him to undergo counseling.
"In determining appropriate discipline, we analyze the facts and circumstances surrounding the behavior and its relation to job responsibilities," Dodds said in the statement. "Major fully accepted his discipline, including counseling. We have high standards for behavior and expect our staff and coaches to adhere to them in all aspects of their lives. I believe that the appropriate discipline was taken in this case."
Major Applewhite, a University of Texas football assistant, admitted Friday he had an affair with a Longhorns student in 2009. (Photo: Brett Davis, USA TODAY Sports)
[h=3]Story Highlights[/h]
- A potential lawsuit from a former University of Texas coach led to Sunday's emergency Board of Regents meeting
- Major Applewhite's "inappropriate" conduct involved a Texas student athletics trainer
- Applewhite's affair occurred during Texas' trip to the Fiesta Bowl in early 2009
SHARE 254 CONNECT 31 TWEET 20 COMMENTEMAILMORE
Friday night's revelation by the University of Texas of assistant football coach Major Applewhite's affair with a student is directly related to the forced resignation last month of women's track and field coach Bev Kearney.
A person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports that a potential lawsuit by Kearney prompted Texas officials to inform the UT System Board of Regents of Applewhite's indiscretion, which occurred four years ago. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
THE REVELATION: Texas assistant Applewhite had affair with student
RELATED: Details of Major Applewhite's employment status
The board hastily scheduled a special meeting by telephone for Sunday. The agenda includes discussions of legal issues related to "individual athletics personnel" and "inappropriate relationships between employees and students."
According to a statement released Friday by Texas, Applewhite engaged in "inappropriate, consensual behavior with an adult student" during the Longhorns' trip to the Fiesta Bowl after the 2008 regular season. The student was working with the football team as an athletic trainer, according to the person with knowledge of the situation.
In a letter of reprimand dated Feb. 5, 2009, Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds wrote that Applewhite's salary would be frozen until Jan. 1, 2010. Applewhite was making $260,500, including base salary and other guaranteed university compensation, as the Longhorns' running backs coach. In 2012, as co-offensive coordinator, he made $575,000 in guaranteed compensation.
Kearney, who led Texas' women's track and field teams to six national championships during 20 years at Texas – and won another national title at Florida in 1992, shortly before becoming the Longhorns' coach – was put on paid leave last November and resigned last month in lieu of being fired after she admitted to having a consensual relationship with a Texas track athlete in 2002.
The Associated Press reported last November that just before Kearney was placed on leave, Texas women's athletic director Chris Plonsky had recommended Kearney be given a raise from a base salary of $270,000 to $397,000, along with a long-term contract.
The University of Texas' policy for faculty and staff strongly discourages but does not prohibit consensual relationships between staff and students or subordinates. The policy requires the staff member to disclose the relationship to a supervisor and "cooperate in making alternative arrangements for the supervision, evaluation, teaching, grading or advising of the employee, student and/or student employee."
Kearney told the Austin American-Statesman last month that she had not disclosed the relationship at the time, which she said lasted several months, but admitted to it when confronted last November.
Kearney did not return phone calls Saturday. The person with knowledge of the situation said Kearney is considering a lawsuit claiming other coaches, professors and administrators at Texas were not punished as harshly for similar misconduct.
In an email, Texas spokesman John Bianco said Dodds, Applewhite and coach Mack Brown would not be made available for interviews and that the school would have no further comment.
Brenda Pejovich, a member of the board of regents, declined comment Saturday when reached by USA TODAY Sports. Several other board members did not return phone messages. Pejovich referred questions to the board's legal counsel and said the board would have no comment after Sunday's meeting. According to the agenda, no action is planned during the meeting.
But in a statement released Friday, board of regents chairman Gene Powell and University of Texas System chancellor Francisco Cigarroa expressed "great disappointment and sadness" to learn "a short time ago" about the reprimand given to Applewhite. The statement also said, "We expect our coaches to adhere to the highest standards of conduct and lead by example."
Applewhite, 34, a former Texas quarterback, admitted in a statement to a "one-time occurrence" of "behavior that was totally inappropriate" and apologized for causing embarrassment to the school. He added: "Through counsel I have worked with my wife and the incident is behind us. I am regretful for my mistake and humbled by this experience."
Applewhite received a $9,000 raise in 2010. In 2011, when he was promoted to co-offensive coordinator (with Bryan Harsin), his guaranteed compensation increased to $501,000; in 2012, it jumped to $575,000. When Harsin left to become Arkansas State's head coach, Applewhite remained co-offensive coordinator but was given play-calling responsibilities.
Patti Ohlendorf, Texas' vice president for legal affairs, did not return messages Saturday. Ohlendorf told CNN last month Kearney's relationship with the student was "unprofessional and unacceptable" and said the relationship "crosses the line of trust placed in the head coach for all aspects of the athletic program and in the best interests of the student-athletes in the program." Ohlendorf appeared to be drawing a distinction between actions of a head coach and an assistant.
Ohlendorf also told the American-Statesman: "We believe Bev is a good person. Bev has done a lot for the university over the years. We think this is a terrible mistake, and I know it's something she regrets. But it's not the type of thing that can happen between a coach and a student-athlete on the team."
In a statement released Friday, Dodds said he learned of Applewhite's affair in January 2009 and "initiated an inquiry with assistance from the university's Legal Affairs office." In the letter of reprimand, which was released by Texas to USA TODAY Sports, Dodds informed Applewhite his salary would be frozen through the remainder of 2009 and required him to undergo counseling.
"In determining appropriate discipline, we analyze the facts and circumstances surrounding the behavior and its relation to job responsibilities," Dodds said in the statement. "Major fully accepted his discipline, including counseling. We have high standards for behavior and expect our staff and coaches to adhere to them in all aspects of their lives. I believe that the appropriate discipline was taken in this case."
