Major Shakeup in AD Dept.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Jay Jacobs has made major shakeups in the AD Dept. Eugene Harris and Stacy Danley fired. Will add another person to the compliance staff. Jacobs says changes being made for good of student-athletes. See story at:

www.al.com

Go to Huntsville Times Sports

[WarTim 3,457]

Nothing really "major" about this, is there?

[LegalEagle 22]

This doesn't seem too positive!

http://www.oanow.com/servlet/Satellite?pag...!index.html

Danley's upset and not without reason. I just wonder what is going to come out of this.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

This doesn't seem too positive!

http://www.oanow.com/servlet/Satellite?pag...!index.html

Danley's upset and not without reason.  I just wonder what is going to come out of this.

145984[/snapback]

Danley does sound upset, but at specific people that remain nameless, not Auburn in general. I hope the things he is talking about coming to light will end up with the "demons" as he calls them being done away with in the athletic department.

I found it interesting when he talked about his physical ills, but said he would do it all again.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Nothing really "major" about this, is there?

145948[/snapback]

I wish it wasn't but anytime you suddenly fire an Assoc. AD and an Ass't. AD who are both black, I'm afraid it's major. The author of the Huntsville Times, Phil Marshall, also called it a major shakeup for what that's worth. Harris is talking about getting a lawyer and Danley is clearly upset so the fallout will be very visible in the media.

[DKW 86 7,489]

I'll say that Jacobs is a great guy. I will also say that he was not the best hire.

I wondered if he could hold it all together after he was hired. Firing a certified hero with the Alumni is never good. Jacobs did not do a real good job of explaining his reasons.

[Auburn85 434]

Nothing really "major" about this, is there?

145948[/snapback]

I wish it wasn't but anytime you suddenly fire an Assoc. AD and an Ass't. AD who are both black, I'm afraid it's major. The author of the Huntsville Times, Phil Marshall, also called it a major shakeup for what that's worth. Harris is talking about getting a lawyer and Danley is clearly upset so the fallout will be very visible in the media.

145993[/snapback]

I agree. This happens everywhere, everyday, Sometimes there's racial profiling,but NOT all the time.

Just because you're black and you get fired or not hired, doesn't automatically make the hirer or firer a racist

[auman64 0]

give me a break guys.. because he played at Auburn, he therefore is entitled to a lifetime paycheck? get real.. i played there and I got a job in the real world.. his firing will have absolutely no impact on anything..its business and it's America. the only way it will affect anyhting.. is if we blow it out of proportion or make a racial issue out of it.. sounds just like another former team mate of mine.. Rodney Garner.. coach Dye did tell us Auburn was only orange and blue.. sounds like he's making it black and white.. Please don't fall for this trap.

[aupantsdown 0]

give me a break guys.. because he played at Auburn, he therefore is entitled to a lifetime paycheck? get real.. i played there and I got a job in the real world.. his firing will have absolutely no impact on anything..its business and it's America. the only way it will affect anyhting.. is if we blow it out of proportion or make a racial issue out of it.. sounds just like another former team mate of mine.. Rodney Garner.. coach Dye did tell us Auburn was only orange and blue.. sounds like he's making it black and white.. Please don't fall for this trap.

146072[/snapback]

I agree with a couple of you....Jacobs was not the best hire and Danley is not "owed" a job because he was a hero AND it shouldnt always be a race issue when someone gets fired when they are black. white people get fired all the time...some for unfair reasons and some rightfully so. david gibbs was fired from the broncos and replaced with a black guy...was this discrimination? did the headlines read "White Man, Gibbs, was slighted by the Denver Broncos... I dont think so. Things didn't work out and Gibbs was let go. That IS business. Maybe Danley wasn't doing his job!? Possibly... The fact that he is black should have nothing to do with it. I'll stop here... I want even get into Jacobs.

[tombigbeetiger 223]

jacobs was not a good hire and danley should let it go without the all too overused "because i'm black" .....if danley was let go because of his race

(which i doubt) then there are channels to go through to get his job back.....he just should not degrade himself by hollering "race"......i've heard enough of that....i'm very uneasy about jacobs being AD.....it has smelled real funny to me from the outset

[kingfish 73]

The concerns about Jacobs some of you are making remind me about the fears expressed by some a year ago about Borges being the wrong man. Come on guys, my confidence is in Auburn having promoted the right man in Jacobs [an Auburn man] and my confidence is in still in Jacobs because he is our man. If there should be a legitimate problem AU will deal with it, but do we have to start out believing there is a problem when people are let go? ... why can't we think that the people who were let go might have been part of a problem that is now being corrected? Believe first in Auburn unless proven otherwise is the way I prefer to think ... Auburn is my family. When somebody says something negative about my family it will have to be backed up with evidence before I will I will take the accusers position over the good name of my family.

War Eagle Forever!

[Auburn85 434]

Heck, I don't even think Vandy has an AD.

[WarTim 3,457]

The concerns about Jacobs some of you are making remind me about the fears expressed by some a year ago about Borges being the wrong man.  Come on guys, my confidence is in Auburn having promoted the right man in Jacobs [an Auburn man] and my confidence is in still in Jacobs because he is our man.  If there should be a legitimate problem AU will deal with it, but do we have to start out believing there is a problem when people are let go?  ... why can't we think that the people who were let go might have been part of a problem that is now being corrected?  Believe first in Auburn unless proven otherwise is the way I prefer to think ... Auburn is my family.  When somebody says something negative about my family it will have to be backed up with evidence before I will I will take the accusers position over the good name of my family.

War Eagle Forever!

146095[/snapback]

Very well said. JJ also PROMOTED two African Americans (I hate that term, why not just be an American?)

JJ is the head of the department. He made cuts that he felt were justified either for financial reasons or reasons that he deemed just. That is his JOB! ! ! !

Support the man and Auburn.

[quietfan 233]

The story grows:

http://www.al.com/auburnfootball/birmingha...76177261650.xml

AU black leaders upset at athletics

Monday, February 14, 2005

CHARLES GOLDBERG

News staff writer

The head of Auburn University's diversity and multi-cultural program says the school made a mistake by eliminating the jobs held by two black athletic administrators last week and there is now "a groundswell" of support for the two in the African-American community.

Dr. Keenan Grenell said Sunday night there was "no rationale" for the elimination of the jobs held by associate athletic director Stacy Danley and assistant athletic director for special projects Eugene Harris.

Grenell, who is the interim assistant provost for diversity and multi-cultural affairs, will explain his position with other black university and community leaders at a press conference at the university library today.

Grenell said he would not limit his comments to athletics.

"I'm going to talk about the diversity climate at Auburn in a general sense because it's bigger than Stacy and Eugene, it really is," Grenell said.

Danley and Harris said they were surprised to lose their jobs. Danley said he suspected his job was eliminated because he received an $80,000 settlement from a discrimination suit he filed against Auburn in 2003.

The athletic department last Thursday also eliminated the marketing coordinator position held by Marvin Julich, who is white.

The athletic department promoted others, including two black athletic administrators. Virgil Starks was promoted from associate athletics director to senior athletics director. David Mines was promoted from director of athletic event operations to assistant athletics director for compliance.

Grenell said he had "been in communication" with Danley and Harris and they were aware of the press conference.

"These people have had the most tragic things happen to them that could happen in their careers," Grenell said.

Grenell also said new Athletics Director Jay Jacobs made a mistake by eliminating the positions held by Danley and Harris. Jacobs said last Thursday he wanted to streamline the athletics department and did what he thought was best for Auburn.

Grenell said he and other university black leaders have been encouraged to discuss the issue by the African-American communities in Auburn and nearby Opelika.

"I've never seen them react to something like this about something that has gone on at Auburn," Grenell said. "Things like this have gone on over the 11 years I've been here, but I've never seen them react off campus like this."

Grenell said Willie Larkin, the Auburn University Senate chairman, and David Wilson, a vice president of the university's outreach program, will also address diversity issues.

I don't know nearly enough about the inside story of this affair to have any opinion and therefore will not choose sides at all.

I do feel that 1) not everything involving African-American employment is a racial issue, but 2) anyone who thinks racism in hiring/firing is a thing of the past and doesn't happen is living in a fantasy. I hope it's not a real issue in this case, but I have no knowledge on which to make the call either way.

I never heard about Danley's $80,000 settlement from a discrimination suit he filed against Auburn in 2003--but that certainly doesn't make the current situation any less volatile.

As a side issue, I regret the double whammy AU has taken in the media this weekend--first the Western Kentucky criticism, now this.