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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday November 24,1987 Vol.98,No.67
Published since 1889 by the students of the University of Kansas
(USPS 650-640)
Valesente fired as Kansas football coach
Frederick says team must make progress
By CRAIG ANDERSON Staff writer
Kansas football coach Bob Valesente was fired yesterday by Athletic Director Bob Frederick Valesente was offered a position as an associate athletic director, but he declined the offer.
Frederick said that he made the decision Sunday night after many weeks of deliberation.
See related stories p. 9 and 12.
"It was not an easy decision to make," he said at a news conference. "In recent days some have said this is an academic issue or an alumni-versus-faculty issue. It was an issue of progress of the football team on the field. In the last two years there hadn't been an improvement."
Staff writer
By MIKE CONSIDINE
KUAC's chairman resigns in protest
Anthony Redwood, chairman of the Kansas University Athletic Corporation for the last five years, announced his intention to resign yesterday to protest the firing of football coach Bob Valesente.
"It was an unprincipled decision, and I'm protesting it the only way I can," Redwood said. "I feel the integrity of the University itself is at stake. This is one aspect of the athletic program I feel I can't live with."
At a news conference in Summer field Hall, Redwood announced that he had called an emergency meeting of the KUAC board at 3 p.m. today in the Phillips Room of the Adams Alumni Center. Redwood said that his resignation would be formally announced at that time.
Kansas Athletic Director Bob Freedrick said, "I respect his opinion and his decision to do so if that's what he feels like he should do. He's given six years of outstanding service to
In a prepared statement, Redwood said that during the past decade, Kansas football had a history of revolving coaches and a quick-fix philosophy. He said that Valesente was denied the opportunity to see his program through to success.
"He should have been kept on at least for another year but preferably for the length of his contract," Redwood's esteve contract lasts two more years.
Redwood said that Frederick told him of the decision at 8 p.m. Sunday. Redwood said that he phoned the KUAC board to call the meeting after a second conversation with Frederick.
Although KUAC by-laws state that the decision to hire and fire coaches belongs to the athletic director, Redwood said that he thought the board should have been involved.
"I would have liked Bob Frederick to preferably have discussed it with the board last week when it was at issue," Redwood said. "If that was not possible, then at least he should
Kansas Jayhawk Basketball
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- spoken to the assembled board
2 time the decision was
erick said, "From individual sations and from letters, I feel now where most of the people board stood on the issue."
ent board member Slue Gutter
'No students were consulted.
'n seek out student opinion.'
'has three student rep-
phys.
wood praised Valezse's comt to recruiting fresh footlayers who were capable stu-
He said that Frederick didn't efficient consideration to Val's attention to academics.
lerick said, "We're coming in situation where the previous had academic difficulties. Bob 1 hard to gain the respect of
See KUAC, p. 12, col. 5
oe Wilkins III/Special to the KANSAN
Joe Winkler is respected in the KKR
s a news conference with his
stions about his firing.
nieves
when students did not lock tally that is when students are s.
ables, such as a stereo, from a an overreaction, Flail said. students' valuations were safe worth the effort of loading and
er, that auto burglaries and quently when students were ing their cars. Every time ip to load valuables in their k the car afterward, he said. students should never load the they go home.
travel
ntral Nebraska and western snow today.
or, but a couple of inches (of the question," said John y, Kan., senior, a member of
. Louis area, the panhandle of hern Texas were expecting
st is uncertain, Dolusic said,
that snow will fall in central
of showers developing in the
weather service operates a
1300.
left for students traveling by
't already made their reservation
Travel Service representative
are mostly gone," she said, left, but they're more expen-