Report: Todd fired Ivy before retirement was announced

Posted 6:54AM on Tuesday 12th March 2002 ( 22 years ago )

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - Former University of Kentucky athletics director Larry Ivy was fired last week, the day before his retirement was announced, The Courier-Journal reported Tuesday. ``Your employment as Athletics Director of the University of Kentucky is terminated immediately,'' said a March 4 letter to Ivy from university President Lee Todd. The newspaper obtained the letter from the university through the Open Records Act. In it, Todd said the dismissal was based on ``numerous violations'' of Ivy's contract, ``which are serious individually, and when viewed collectively leave me no choice but to take this action.'' Todd's letter said he and Ivy had discussed the specific violations in person. The letter, dated the day before a university trustees' meeting at which Ivy's retirement was made public, indicated that Ivy had been given a chance to resign but had refused, prompting the dismissal. ``You were given the opportunity to resign your position and to receive your salary through the end of the fiscal year, but you declined that opportunity,'' the letter said. On the day of the trustees' meeting, Ivy, 58, sent a letter to Todd. ``Please accept this letter as my request for retirement ...,'' it began. Ivy also signed an 11-point agreement in which he promised not to sue the university. At a news conference last week announcing Ivy's departure, Todd sidestepped questions about whether he told Ivy to quit or be fired. Ivy's retirement takes effect June 30, but he stepped down as athletics director immediately. In a statement Monday, Todd said: ``I was willing to let a court decide if we had adequate grounds for termination for cause as set out in (Ivy's) contract, and I believe that we did. I am pleased Mr. Ivy had a change of heart and that he submitted his resignation, since I believe that is in everyone's best interests.'' Todd's statement did not address whether he and Ivy discussed a buyout of Ivy's contract, which pays Ivy $192,500 this year and ran through 2005. Last year, Ivy negotiated a buyout with former Kentucky football coach Hal Mumme that gave Mumme $1 million over four years. Mumme was forced to resign in the wake of an NCAA investigation that found multiple violations of NCAA rules in the football program, and Ivy's handling of the matter was criticized by some university trustees. Ivy and his lawyer, Fox DeMoisey of Louisville, could not be reached. By retiring instead of being fired, Ivy is allowed to have university retiree health-care coverage and to keep accrued vacation time and disability pay. Vested pension benefits are not affected when an employee is fired, said Mary Margaret Colliver, spokeswoman for the university. Todd's letter said the firing was ``without further compensation.'' The letter cited two provisions of Ivy's contract as the basis for termination. The provisions involve complying with National Collegiate Athletic Association and university regulations. Ivy's contract stated that he could be fired for failing to follow NCAA regulations and for failing to direct other university athletics department employees to do the same. It also said the contract could be terminated for violating university personnel policies in regard to misconduct. Those misconduct policies cite, among other things, insubordination and actions that defame or malign the reputation of the university. Todd's letter to Ivy said ``you have failed to conduct the University's athletic programs in accordance with the regulations of the NCAA or to use reasonable care to supervise all employees of the athletics department in this regard; you have violated (UK policies) related to misconduct; and you have failed to report or seek approval for certain benefits pursuant to NCAA rules.'' Todd said in the statement that Ivy's retirement allows the university to implement the recommendations of a five-member athletic-review committee ``rather than be embroiled in several years of litigation'' with Ivy. The committee, led by UK law professor Bob Lawson, had recommended that Ivy, who became athletic director in 2000, be removed.

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