Questions arise concerning change of UC rowing coach

Some members of the women's rowing team, who have filed a lawsuit against the University of Cincinnati, are questioning an abrupt coaching change at the end of last rowing season that ended with the firing of head coach Tim Royalty.

Speculation over the university's motives behind the termination has arisen among some current and former members of the team. The university, however, vehemently denies any wrongful termination.

"The resignation of the assistant coach and firing of the head coach came about for the very reasons the university is currently being sued for Title IX violations by the women's rowing team," said a source outside the university who wished to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Speaking on behalf of the university, General Counsel Mitchell McCrate maintains Royalty's termination was for reasons other than what has been listed in a current lawsuit against UC.

"His termination had nothing to do with the boathouse and we'll demonstrate that if need be," McCrate said.

McCrate declined to go into detail about the circumstances surrounding Royalty's firing, saying he would not talk about the specifics.

The university was officially served with a class action lawsuit involving current and former members of the women's rowing team shortly before Winter Break. The suit alleges UC has not maintained a fair balance between the sexes in varsity sports and charges that the women's rowing team has been a direct victim of discrimination. The women involved in the suit, according to court documents, want the construction of a long awaited boathouse to take place and feel the team has been left behind in the way of improvements for too long.

Former assistant coach Sandra Gudim, who resigned from UC in May and now works at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., said she has the same suspicions as some on the team.

"In my opinion they had an agenda," Gudim said, referring to various firing in the women's rowing program.

Gudim, in her resignation letter sent to Senior Associate Athletic Director Brian Mand, wrote about the "constant lack of support from the administration for the rowing program, its coaches and its athletes."

Gudim also wrote that she could not "stand by and watch as serious Title IX violations continue to occur and the administration accepts that."

According to Gudim, former Athletic Director Bob Goin was not supportive at all of the women's rowing program or their problems. She said that although she has no proof, she feels Royalty was fired because he spoke up about Title IX violations.

"That is the feeling I get," she said. Gudim cited Royalty being told to resign after he complained about the treatment of the rowing team.

In response to the termination, Ann Miller, the mother of a freshman rower at the time, wrote a letter to UC President Nancy Zimpher requesting the university review the decision to fire Royalty, conduct and publicize a thorough Title IX audit of UC's athletic programs, reactivate the construction of the promised boathouse and provide the necessary funds to make rowing a viable sport during the transition to the Big East Conference.

Miller's letter was forwarded to Goin who said the change in coaches on the rowing team happened because he was unsatisfied with the direction and leadership of the program.

"I was pleased to be the director who elevated the program from a club sport to an intercollegiate varsity sport in 2000," Goin wrote in a response to Miller.

Goin also wrote that UC is in full compliance of Prong I of Title IX, and has been for the past four years. The federal government defines Prong I compliance as the intercollegiate level of participation opportunities for male and female students at the institution being substantially proportionate to their respective full-time undergraduate enrollments.

As of Tuesday, Robert Newman, the lawyer representing the women's rowing team, said he is still waiting for an answer from UC in regards to the lawsuit. According to Newman, the university is past due with their response.