The Tiger athletic troubles continue and University administrators addressed the problems in a press conference Tuesday afternoon.
Athletic director R.C. Johnson touted the accomplishments of U of M athletes and said his office called the meeting because "I don't want for our fans and boosters to feel that we're not being proactive."Johnson said he has a plan implemented to review all coaches' team policies dealing with disciplinary matters.
"As the director of athletics, I am ultimately responsible for the policies and disciplinary procedures that our coaches implement with their teams," Johnson said. "I have directed our coaches to provide for me, in writing, their disciplinary policies and possible changes for my review."
Until now the athletic department has had "different policies from different coaches," he said. "Our general policy is that all coaches are responsible for the discipline of their teams."
Johnson said that administrators, in conjunction with University counsel Sheri Lipman, were "very interested in seeing what other schools are doing."
Johnson said his department is hampered a little bit from having a full discussion because of some legal issues.
"I don't want our boosters to think that we're not on top of this," Johnson said.
Continued inquiries from boosters, media, faculty, staff and students prompted his office to respond, he said.
"I felt it was time to have this visit," he said.
When asked if the department's response to recent incidents and media coverage was focused on raising money from boosters or changing disciplinary procedures for student athletes, Johnson said, "I don't think it's about either. When you're a Division I school, particularly in a major city, as we are, everything you do is going to be very visible. You need to address that and you need to be able to stand up to that."
The athletic department's press conference comes after multiple incidents involving U of M student athletes.
Basketball player Jeremy Hunt was suspended from the team and then reinstated while investigations continue about charges that Hunt assaulted ex-girlfriend Tamika Roberts on Jan. 10.
Other Tiger basketball troubles include the dismissal of Sean Banks from the team because he failed to pass the minimum six academic hours necessary to remain eligible. Prior to his dismissal from the team, Banks and teammate Arthur Barclay were involved in an altercation after the team's loss to Texas that resulted in Barclay hitting Banks.
"Recent incidents involving some of our athletes have become headlines," Johnson said. "They are overshadowing the accomplishments of all our other student- athletes."
In his statement, Johnson listed the numerous athletic accomplishments of University of Memphis teams.
"Our student-athletes not only excelled on the field, but in the classroom as well," he said. "One hundred and twenty-nine of our 328 active student athletes compiled a GPA of 3.0 or better."
Tuesday's press conference echoed many of the statements that University President Shirley Raines has made in emails sent to the entire U of M population. In Raines' e-mail sent Tuesday, just one and a half hours before Johnson's press conference, she said that she asked that three major reviews take place in regards to The University's responsibilities.
"I am providing this information so that you, as The University community, will know the specific reviews that are underway," Raines said. "As a University, we want to make sure we are doing what is right, following legal requirements, and most importantly, that we are meeting our obligations to those students who choose to attend The University of Memphis."
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