IU officials defend Sampson’s buyout; chancellor doesn’t believe donations will suffer

IU officials admitted over the weekend that the decision to buy out former IU coach Kelvin Sampson’s contract was a difficult move to make, but was ultimately in the best interest of the University. \n“I have accepted the resignation of Kelvin Sampson in order to put this matter behind us and allow our basketball season to move forward without these distractions,” said IU President Michael McRobbie in a statement released Friday. \nAvoiding a possible lawsuit, such as the one brought on by former Ohio State basketball coach Jim O’Brien, likely played a role in IU’s decision not to fire Sampson, said University Chancellor Ken Gros Louis. O’Brien received a $2.4 million settlement after he was terminated following allegations that he committed recruiting violations. \nGros Louis said dealing with the situation swiftly helps in efforts to restore IU’s reputation and appease distressed donors. \n“Because of the fact that this is now over, I don’t think we will see a drop in donations by our alumni,” he said. “Had this situation been dragged out, it might have hurt some of our supporters.”\nIU student trustee A.D. King defended the University’s handling of the investigation, pointing out it was IU in the first place that found and disclosed the original allegations that led to Sampson’s eventual resignation. He added that the buyout was the best option to erase uncertainty and threats of litigation to the program. \n“I think the University acted as judicially and expeditiously as possible,” he said. “Obviously, this is an unfortunate situation that no university or team should have to go through.” \nIU Student Association President W.T. Wright said he approved of the University’s decision to part ways with the coach by buying out Sampson’s contract, but added he would have liked to see the situation resolved quicker. \n“Like I said a week ago, no matter the price, Sampson had to go,” he said. “I think the situation was handled well, but in retrospect I don’t think there needed to be a seven-day inquiry by the University. It seemed a pretty black-and-white issue to me.”\nWright said last week he met with IU Athletics Committee faculty representative Bruce Jaffee to convey concerns he has heard from students and alumni that honoring the University’s reputation should be the most important factor in any decision made regarding Sampson’s fate. \n“I told him where I stood at the time – that Sampson should be suspended,” Wright said, “but we agreed to disagree as the Athletic Department felt it was best to resolve the matter most peacefully and to protect the University from any lawsuits.”\nIn the coming weeks and months, IU officials said they will begin a nationwide search for who will lead the Hoosiers next season. Both King and Gros Louis said looking for a candidate with a high standard of integrity would be especially important in wake of the recent situation. \n“I would like to see someone who has had success where they are at now and who has run a clean program,” Gros Louis said. “Obviously, hiring someone with any sanctions would not be good.” \nUniversity officials said the most important thing the campus and other Hoosier fans can now do is to rally behind the student-athletes who have gone through this turmoil. \n“Everyone at IU is now looking for the team to overcome this and become one of the greatest success stories in basketball,” King said. “This team has a lot of potential, and we’ll all be looking for them to move forward.”