Which means, of course, she’ll be fired resign within the year.
For now, though, UM president Donna Shalala‘s job is secure thanks to a vote of confidence from Miami’s board of trustees. In a letter to the UM community, board chairman Leonard Abess wrote that Shalala’s many accomplishments should not be overshadowed by the recent scandal centering around former booster Nevin Shapiro.
“Without a doubt these allegations are troubling and demand a thorough and honest evaluation of Hurricane athletics,” Abess wrote. “President Shalala has taken a strong position, insisting on full cooperation with the ongoing NCAA investigation. The process will be long, and in the ensuing months the Board of Trustees and the university administration will provide both leadership and unwavering support for our great institution.
“We must not allow our current crisis in athletics to diminish the excellence and hard work of generations in the UM family.”
Shalala, along with former athletic directors Kirby Hocutt (currently at Texas Tech) and Paul Dee (currently a hypocrite), has taken criticism for not identifying Shapiro’s alleged involvement with Miami players. Miami also reportedly failed to inform new head coach Al Golden of the NCAA’s investigation in the months prior to the release of the Yahoo! Sports tell-all with Shapiro.
The NCAA has been investigating Miami’s program for five months.
Shalala had stated last month in an interview with Time magazine that improper contact between boosters and student-athletes “wouldn’t have lasted two minutes” under her. Shapiro allegedly began handing out benefits to players as far back as 2002. Shalala began her era at UM in 2001.
