Top administrators of the University of Texas expressed shock over the fallout of former ace women's track and field coach Beverly Kearney's affair with a student-athlete. They said that the management had been contemplating firing her since the relationship was first reported in October last year.
Read: Track Coach at University of Texas at Austin Quits over Affair with Ex-student-Athlete
However, Kearney voluntarily resigned her job at the university Sunday. Following her announcement of quitting, Patti Ohlendorf, University Texas at Austin Vice President for Legal Affairs, issued a statement on the latest controversy.
The University had begun to review this relationship when it was reported by the former student-athlete in late October, 2012.
Neither the Intercollegiate Athletics administration nor the University administration had heard previously about this relationship. As soon as it was reported, Athletics notified the University President and the Vice President for Legal Affairs, who immediately began the review. Shortly after the review began, Coach Kearney was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome, Ohlendorf said in a statement.
He said that the university believes that Kearney didn't have any such relationship with any student before or after the relationship in question.
Below is Ohlendorf's statement on the controversy:
Based upon the review, the University does not believe that Coach Kearney had any similar relationships with student-athletes either before or after the reported relationship, which began about 10 1/2 years ago and ended at least about eight years ago," he said. "Coach Kearney is a good person and has been very important to the University. However, she made this terrible mistake and used unacceptably poor judgment in having this relationship."
The University determined that it no longer was appropriate for Coach Kearney to serve as head coach or to work directly with our student-athletes and was prepared to begin the termination process. This was discussed with Coach Kearney recently. The University told Coach Kearney that we cannot condone such an intimate relationship, including one that is consensual, between a head coach and a student-athlete. We told Coach Kearney such a relationship is unprofessional and crosses the line of trust placed in the head coach for all aspects of the athletic program and the best interests of the student-athletes on the team.
As a public University, we are committed to transparency and disclosure. We also have a responsibility to our students to follow the strict federal laws that are designed to protect their privacy. The University will not identify the former student-athlete. We respect her privacy and appreciate her cooperation during our review.
