More on the UT self report

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Booster collects $$ for coach speaking at his homeAssociated Press

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- A University of Tennessee trustee collected cash from fans and some former athletes gathered at his house to give to assistant coach Trooper Taylor for speaking at their barbecue dinner, according to documents released Monday.

The donations totaled $3,000, an amount the university found to be too high and in violation of NCAA rules that do not permit outside sources from paying an athletic department staff member for an unspecified reason.

Officials said last week they planned to report the violation, which is considered secondary, to the Southeastern Conference. On Monday, The Associated Press obtained the self-report, a letter from Tennessee president John Petersen to trustee Karl Schledwitz dated Aug. 17 and a letter to Taylor from athletic director Mike Hamilton dated Monday.

Secondary violations are fairly routine, and the conference usually accepts the punishments universities impose on themselves.

Schledwitz, a former student government president at Tennessee, invited about 20 fans and alumni to his home in Memphis in July and asked Taylor to speak to the group about the upcoming season. Schledwitz told Taylor an "honorarium" would be paid but gave no specific amount. Schledwitz had mentioned the idea of inviting Taylor to his home to coach Phillip Fulmer in June, according to the documents.

After Taylor spoke, Schledwitz announced he would be accepting donations for an honorarium for Taylor and said any donations would be completely voluntary, according to the self-report written by Brad Bertani, associate athletic director for compliance. Individuals interviewed for the report said there was no mention of any connection between the honorarium and recruiting.

Bertani said the usual amount paid to coaches for such speaking engagements is between $500 and $1,500.

The $3,000, which Taylor deposited in his bank account the next day, will go into the Thornton Athletic Academic advising budget.

Athletic department staff will now be required to fill out an approval form for speaking engagements, noting any honorarium and the amount.

"Please contact Mr. Bertani before initiating any activity involving coaches, other members of the athletics staff or student-athletes. Your involvement in another activity found to be in violation of NCAA rules would have serious consequences,'' Petersen wrote to Schledwitz.

A letter of admonishment to Taylor will be placed in his personnel file for one year. Taylor was in Memphis at the time of the gathering to watch his son play in a baseball tournament.