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What follows is a timeline of events which began in 2008-09. All of the complaints, affidavits, court filings, etc. can be found by a simple search at documentcloud.com, the rest is from news accounts.
Time Line
Apr. 8, 2008 Lady Vols defeat Stanford to win 8th National Championship.
Dec. 1, 2008 UT hires Lane Kiffin
Dec. 21, 2008 Kiffin hires Mark Smith as his Strength and Conditioning Coach.
Feb. 2, 2009 Debbie Greenwell, Alabama Cheerleader Coach Fired.
Greenwell said she walked into Moore's office on a Monday morning, Feb. 2, 2009, with no idea that she was about to lose her job of more than 20 years. A former University of Alabama cheerleader herself, she'd been the school's cheerleading coach since 1987. She'd had many talks with Moore, the AD, but this one was different.
According to Greenwell:
Hart was there, too. Hart told her she'd been fired because the school no longer had the same level of trust in her. Moore mentioned something about "an ongoing investigation."
Hart handed her a letter she wouldn't read until later. It read, in part, "Significant questions and concerns have arisen regarding your supervision of the cheerleading program, including the operation of camps. Based on the information that we have obtained in an ongoing investigation, we are concerned about your conduct and poor judgment in dealing with University property, funds, authority and other important aspects of your job."
Greenwell said she was never informed of any specific problems or allegations. Instead, she said, she was immediately escorted to her office. Two university officials took her cell phone, laptop and desktop computer and watched as she packed her personal belongings in boxes.
"It was humiliating," Greenwell said.
Feb. 23, 2009 - UT athletic departments move ahead with streamline plans
The mens and womens athletic departments at Tennessee are moving forward with plans to combine parts of their operations in an effort to save money and operate more efficiently.
The first phase of changes will affect the compliance, development, event management and sports information offices in both departments. ~ GoVolsXtra
May 21, 2009 - Strength coach weakened; Smith is placed under strict review by Kiffin. When Smith was hired, UT said he would earn $190,000. His pay was $140,000 at South Carolina.
Tennessee head football strength and conditioning coach Mark Smith is under strict review by coach Lane Kiffin and might not be with the Vols when summer workouts begin in June, a source told the News Sentinel. The specifics of the friction between Smith and Kiffin were not disclosed. ~ GoVolsXtra
May 22, 2009 Lane Kiffin and Mark Smith Part Ways.
Sources told ESPN.com that Kiffin and his strength and conditioning coach, Mark Smith, met on Thursday and agreed to part ways. The details of Smith's departure as strength coach were still being finalized, and Tennessee athletic department officials declined to comment. ~ ESPN Chris Low
June 8, 2009 - On June 8, 2009 the Raiders organization issued a statement about Lane Kiffin in Tennessee:"Lane Kiffin is a flat-out liar. He lied to the team, he lied to the fans, and he lied to the media. He will try to destroy that university like he tried to destroy the Raiders..."
June 21, 2009 -
North Texas coach: Ausmus heading to Tennessee
Tennessee appears to have settled on a new strength and conditioning coach.On Wednesday, athletic director Mike Hamilton said the Vols had reached an agreement to pay strength and conditioning coach Mark Smith the full amount of his two-year agreement with UT.
Dec. 8, 2009 Pete Thamel writes an article for the New York Times regarding the NCAA launching an investigation related to Tennessee and what would become Hostess Gate. It starts: The N.C.A.A. is conducting a wide-ranging investigation into the University of Tennessees football recruiting practices, according to interviews with several prospects, their family members and high school administrators. A significant part of the investigation is focused on the use of recruiting hostesses who have become folk heroes on Tennessee Internet message boards for their ability to help lure top recruits.
Dec. 31, 2009 Vols trounced in Chic-Filet Bowl by Va. Tech on New Years Eve.
Jan. 12, 2010 Lane Kiffin leaves UT for USC.
Jan. 15, 2010 Derek Dooley is hired by UT.
Feb. 2010 Jenny Moshak, Heather Mason, and Collin Schlosser file a discrimination complaint with the University of Tennessee Office of Equity and Diversity (OED).
2010 From Jennings amended complaint: In 2010, there was an opening for the position Associate Athletic Director for Communications. Jennings made her interest in the position known to a member of the search committee and that person suggested she should apply for the position. Jennings contends that her supervisor Chris Fuller told her she should not apply for the position because Derek Dooley does not want to work with a female. This is paraphrased. Jimmy Stanton was hired on Aug. 10 2010.
Aug. 10, 2010 UT Hires Jimmy Stanton. Stanton joins UT as associate athletic director for communications. The University of Tennessee athletic department announced the addition of Jimmy Stanton (M.S. 1997) as associate athletic director for communications . Stanton will report to Chris Fuller, senior associate athletic director for external operations. ~ official UT release
Sept. 10, 2010 UT receives Letter of Inquiry from the NCAA
It's apparent that the letter of inquiry deals with the men's basketball program, although UT did not specify what sport in a release announcing the press conference. ~ GoVolsXtra
Sept. 27, 2010 Memo from Jimmy Stanton to Chris Fuller Re: My conversation with Debbie Jennings, Sept. 27, 2010. Of his meeting with Jennings Stanton says, I found many of the attitudes and perspective expressed to me in that conversation troubling and indicative of a disrespectful, and at times downright hostile attitude toward numerous internal constituencies. There is much more in the memo. ~ Released by UT to the media.
Winter 2010-2011 From Debby Jennings amended complaint: In the Winter 2010-2011, the Plaintiff learned that UT-K was going to hire a person to run the Media Relations Office and Plaintiff went to Jimmy Stanton and asked him if she could be considered to run the Media Relations Office. Further, the complaint goes on to say, Jimmy Stanton told the Plaintiff no, she would not be considered for the position. Reason according to complaint is that Stanton didnt have the confidence that she could do the job because she was opinionated about the staff. Debby Jennings had run the Media Relations office for the Womens AD for 33 years. Jason Yellin at the time of his hire had 21 years of total experience, but none or possibly only 7 or fewer years running a Media Relations Office.??? Yellin was hired May 23, 2011.
January 20, 2011 OED sends its findings in the case of Moshak, Mason and Schlosser to Dr. Jimmy Cheek. OED found no discrimination took place or that equal pay had been violated but noted "However, several processes were applied in such a way that existing checks and balances were bypassed thus contributing to the present case.
Mar. 1, 2011 Memo from Jimmy Stanton to Chris Fuller. Follow up to Jennings 2010 performance review. Paraphrasing she accuses Stanton of discrimination and tells him that she has discussed the issue with Pat Summitt. Stanton found it troubling and hurtful and said it was absolutely not true. There is much more in the memo. In the performance review, it should be noted that Jennings was marked as Fully Achieves Expectations or better in every category. At the end of the review, the supervisor can comment. Stanton wrote ..While there is limited evidence to indicate that she believed in the direction in which athletic communication is headed, her goals indicate that she views this as a high priority for her in 2011. The rest of his comments were positive. The box for appropriate corrective action has been discussed with employee was checked No.
April 29, 2011 - President Joe Dipietro denies Moshak, Mason , and Schlosser appeal.
May 10, 2011 Memo from Chris Fuller to Tyler Johnson Re:
May 10, 2011 meeting with Debbie Jennings. This meeting was a result of the Mar. 1, 2011 memo in regards to Ms. Jennings allegation that Jimmy Stanton was discriminating against her on the basis of her gender and age. Fuller asks if she feels so strongly about the discrimination, why she had not gone to OED. Jennings had gotten advice but did not want to advance a claim at the time. There is more in the memo.
May 23, 2011 - The University of Tennessee announced the addition of Jason Yellin to the athletic communications department as the assistant athletic director for media relations. Yellin, who is in his seventh year at the University of Massachusetts and currently serves as the associate athletic director for media relations, will have direct oversight of the media relations department for Tennessee Athletics and will be involved with the football communications team. ~ UTSports.com
May 28, 2011 - A 45-year career that's not done; Bud Ford stepping into historian role with UT athletics UT's longtime media relations director has announced his retirement, effective this December. Then, he will take on a new challenge, in the part-time position as UT's athletic department historian, beginning Jan. 1 of next year. ~ GoVolsXtra John Adams
June 7, 2011 Athletic Director Mike Hamilton resigns effective June 30, 2011.
June 9, 2011 Longtime UT womens athletic director Joan Cronan, who was named the universitys interim vice chancellor/director of athletics Thursday, will leave that post when a permanent vice chancellor/director of athletics is named, and return to her job as women's athletic director.In June 2012 she will take on the role as a senior adviser to the schools vice chancellor and chancellor through June 2014. Her position wont be filled ~ GoVolsXtra
June 15, 2011 Dave Serrano hired as new UT baseball coach.
June 30, 2011 Debbie Greenwell files suit in federal court in Alabama
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Two years after she was fired, former University of Alabama cheerleading coach Debbie Greenwell has filed a civil lawsuit against AD Mal Moore, executive AD Dave Hart, university president Robert Witt and the school's trustees. The lawsuit also argues that Alabama has "wrongfully threatened (Greenwell) with criminal prosecution for some undefined financial offense." ~ Birmingham News Kevin Scarbinsky
July 1, 2011 Debbie Greenwell is arrested. Ex-Alabama cheerleading coach Debbie Greenwell charged with theft, ethics violations | al.com
Aug. 23, 2011 Pat Summitt reveals early on set dementia diagnosis.
Sept. 5, 2011 - KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee introduced Dave Hart as its new vice chancellor and athletic director on Monday night. ~ AP
Sept. 20, 2011 - Q&A with new UT athletic director Dave Hart - 'Excellence' still the goal for merged departments
Q: What are your immediate goals as UT's new athletic director?
A: To sit down like you and I are right now, one on one, with staff and coaches. Listen and absorb what they have to say during that conversation and that exchange because I think that when you do that, you begin to develop some common threads good, bad or indifferent. Paints a little bit of a picture for you that you may not have as you initially come in without having the ability to sit down with people.
We've got to put a leadership team in place administratively. That's going to be something that will be very, very important. We're merging the programs. We've got to look at what is the best direction to move in and what is the destination. You can't get in the car and start driving around. You've got to know where you're going. Collectively, we've got to establish that as a high priority.~ GoVolXtra by Andrew Gribble
Dec. 6, 2011 - UT women's athletics employees take discrimination claim to EEOC
Last option for claims of discrimination
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 A twice-rejected claim of gender discrimination still hovers over the Tennessee athletic department, as the three women's athletics employees behind it have exercised their last option and taken their case to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. ~ GoVolsXtra.com
Dec. 2011 Hart asks Jennings to resign. From Burkhalters letter to Cheek: Ultimately, shortly before Christmas 2011, Mr. Hart told Debby he wanted her to announce her retirement before the end of the year.
Dec 25, 2011 - Groundwork laid for merging of UT's long-separate athletic departments - Arkansas AD consulted
Earlier in the month, Hart and members of his tight-knit leadership team, the UT administrators who will guide the program through this complicated and important process, escaped from the office and retreated to an undisclosed location in the city. There, the groundwork was drawn up for what one, cohesive UT athletic department will stand for and how that plan will be executed during the two to three months after the holiday season.
Throughout his first three months at UT, Hart opened up those lines of communication through a long series of one-on-one meetings with about 60 members of the athletic department. Lasting roughly an hour apiece, the meetings, which focused on similar talking points no matter who was on the other side of the table, provided Hart with a sense of what he could consider as the program's "strengths and weaknesses.""I got to know people, they had an opportunity to get to know me," Hart said. "It really helped me gauge whether I was missing the mark or on the mark with what my eyes were seeing."It was very, very productive and beneficial." ~ GoVolsXtra by Andrew Gribble
Jan. 11, 2012 Jennings sends Hart an e-mail saying she does not want to retire.
Feb. 15, 2012 From Summitts affidavit: "On February 15, 2012, I had a meeting with Dave Hart. I requested the meeting to talk to Dave Hart because I heard that he wanted to discontinue using the Lady Vol logo. In that meeting, he told me he intended to place all UT women's and men's athletic teams under the 'power T' so they would be 'all Volunteers.' I was angered when he came out in an interview with the media in May 2012 and denied he ever intended to do away with the Lady Vol logo.
Feb. 27, 2012 Hart responds to Jennings Jan. 11 e-mail. He says, I lack confidence in your commitment to the current management structure and your willingness to adapt to a unified department while generating positive energy.
Mar. 4, 2012 Lady Vols win SEC Tournament 70-58 over LSU.
Mar. 14 2012 Summitt has meeting with Hart and states in her August 10, 2012 affidavit that Dave Hart indicated to me that I would not be coaching the Lady Vol Basketball Team in the next school year(2012-13).
Mar. 15 and 16, 2012 Jennings types the e-mail regarding the meeting between Hart and Summitt and asks Hart to reconsider his decision to have Summitt not coach next year. She also responds to Harts e-mail from Feb. 27, 2012. The e-mail has an address of March 15 and the time stamp says sent 12:52 AM Mar. 16.
Mar. 16 Hart responds to Jennings e-mail at 11:03 AM. The e-mail you sent me at 12:52 AM regarding Coach Summitt is so inaccurate, on so many levels, that it doesnt warrant a meaningful response.
Mar. 16 UT defeats UT-Martin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Mar. 19 UT defeats DePaul in the second round.
Mar. 24 UT defeats Kansas in the Sweet Sixteen.
Mar. 26 UT is defeated by #1 seed Baylor in the Elite Eight.
Apr. 16 2012 - The University of Tennessee athletics department revealed on Monday that it will eliminate 17 full-time positions as part of its consolidation of the men's and women's athletics departments.The 17 employees have been notified that their positions will be eliminated June 1, according to a release issued by Jimmy Stanton, associate athletic director for communications/football. ~ GoVolsXtra
Among those eliminated is Collin Schlosser.
Apr. 18, 2012 Coach Pat Summitt is named Head Coach Emeritus.
May 15, 2012 @ 1:00 PM Hart gives Jennings the ultimatum to retire, be terminated or resign. She decides to retire.
May 18, 2012 Jennings attorney, Mr. Burkhalter , sends Jimmy Cheek an e-mail/letter in regards to Jennings forced retirement.
May 18, 2012 - Bud Ford files breach of contract claim against UT
Ford, who retired in December after 45 years with the UT sports information office, said Friday he filed a claim on April 23 with the state Division of Claims Administration. Ford is seeking $40,000, compensation for a one-year agreement to serve as athletic department historian. Ford said he had a signed agreement for the position, which was to take place after his retirement. Dave Hart, who took over as athletic director and vice-chancellor in September, declined to comment on Friday. GoVolsExtra Mike Strange
May 24, 2012 UTs General Counsel responds to the May 18, letter from Burkhalter. ..Dave Hart decided that Ms. Jennings employment was no longer in the best interests of the Athletic Department because she was insubordinate, disrespectful, and fostered an atmosphere of negativity and division. Attached to the letter was Harts e-mail to Jennings from Feb. 27, 2012. Hart brings up the negativity and division, but the word insubordinate is not used in the e-mail. Also attached is Jennings e-mail from March 15/16 and Harts response on the 16th.
May 24, 2012 UT releases the above mentioned e-mail Jennings sent Hart on March 16 and approximately 250 pages of documents to the media.
May 25, 2012 Burkhalter responds to UTs General Council letter. It starts, I am in receipt of your letter of May 24, 2012, which I note you released to the media along with approximately 250 documents according to the Associated Press. Your letter also contains several assertions and inaccuracies which I will not comment on at this time. Jennings stands by her statement regarding what Summitt told her following the March 14 Summitt/Hart meeting.
May 31, 2012 John Adams has a column in the KNS regarding the perception that Hart is not a strong proponent of womens athletics. Hart is asked by a reporter in Destin Fla. at SEC Media Days a question about the Lady Vols logo and the possible removal of CPSs name from the floor. Hart is quoted by John Adams: Why would we. The column goes on to say the issue of the logo has never been discussed. New head coach Holly Warlick is quoted as well: Everybody is concerned about the (Lady Vols) logo, she said. He has never said were getting rid of the logo
June 21, 2012 Former FSU Softball Coach JoAnne Graph mails a letter to The Knoxville News Sentinel regarding Dave Harts time at FSU.
June 23, 2012 GoVolsExtra and KNS writer posts this headline on GVX: Dispute May Have Lost Strength 2 received raises and other among layoffs. Six months after filing a claim with the EEOC, Schlosser is gone, while Moshak and Mason remain. According to a listing of athletic department salaries obtained by the News Sentinel through a public records request, Moshak and Mason each have received raises.
Aug. 4, 2012 - Former Florida State coach says Dave Hart was bully to women
The unrelenting letter to the editor, postmarked June 21, arrived in Knoxville by way of Tallahassee, Fla.
JoAnne Graf, Florida State's softball coach from 1978-2008, recalled 13 years of discrimination and inequity. Her former athletic director, she wrote, was a "bully (to) women both directly and indirectly." Her former athletic director was "threatened by strong, independent women." Her former athletic director was "definitely not an advocate for women." GoVolsXtra Brendan F. Quinn
Aug. 10, 2012 Summitt signs an affidavit in the presence of Tyler Summitt as a witness with regards to the Feb. 15, 2012 (Lady Vol Logo) meeting and the Mar. 14th meeting( Summitt will not be coach 2012-13).
Aug. 30, 2012 - Cheer Coach's Lawsuit Survives Motion to Dismiss
The federal district court recently denied the University of Alabama's motion to dismiss the retaliation and equal pay claims after determining that Greenwell's complaint stated plausible claims for violations of the respective laws. ~ Title IX Blog
Sept. 27, 2012 Debby Jennings filed suit Thursday in federal court against the University of Tennessee and athletic director Dave Hart alleging "unlawful discrimination and retaliation" after her abrupt departure this spring from an athletic department that she served for more than 35 years as the primary media contact for Lady Vols athletics. ~The Knoxville News Sentinel
Oct. 3, 2012 News of Pat Summitts affidavit leaks to media outlets.
Oct. 4, 2012 Burkhalter amends the Jennings complaint and includes Summitts affidavit.
Oct. 5, 2012 Summitt releases a statement saying she did not feel forced out at any time.
Oct 5, 2012 Burkhalter releases a statement saying that Jennings did not allege that Summitt was forced out.
Oct. 11, 2012 Moshak, Mason, and Schlosser file suit against UT in federal court.
April 25th, 2013 - Heather Mason is fired.
Tennessee Lady Vols cite job performance in firing of associate strength coach Heather Mason - ESPN
August 16th, 2013 - Jenny Moshak Resigns
Jenny Moshak retiring from UT over 'issues of equality' » GoVolsXtra
September 26, 2013 - Court rules Jennings lawsuit against Hart can go forward. This is the same judge the Moshak, Mason and Schlosser case will be in front of.
Metropulse.com: The Daily Pulse
Time Line
Apr. 8, 2008 Lady Vols defeat Stanford to win 8th National Championship.
Dec. 1, 2008 UT hires Lane Kiffin
Dec. 21, 2008 Kiffin hires Mark Smith as his Strength and Conditioning Coach.
Feb. 2, 2009 Debbie Greenwell, Alabama Cheerleader Coach Fired.
Greenwell said she walked into Moore's office on a Monday morning, Feb. 2, 2009, with no idea that she was about to lose her job of more than 20 years. A former University of Alabama cheerleader herself, she'd been the school's cheerleading coach since 1987. She'd had many talks with Moore, the AD, but this one was different.
According to Greenwell:
Hart was there, too. Hart told her she'd been fired because the school no longer had the same level of trust in her. Moore mentioned something about "an ongoing investigation."
Hart handed her a letter she wouldn't read until later. It read, in part, "Significant questions and concerns have arisen regarding your supervision of the cheerleading program, including the operation of camps. Based on the information that we have obtained in an ongoing investigation, we are concerned about your conduct and poor judgment in dealing with University property, funds, authority and other important aspects of your job."
Greenwell said she was never informed of any specific problems or allegations. Instead, she said, she was immediately escorted to her office. Two university officials took her cell phone, laptop and desktop computer and watched as she packed her personal belongings in boxes.
"It was humiliating," Greenwell said.
Feb. 23, 2009 - UT athletic departments move ahead with streamline plans
The mens and womens athletic departments at Tennessee are moving forward with plans to combine parts of their operations in an effort to save money and operate more efficiently.
The first phase of changes will affect the compliance, development, event management and sports information offices in both departments. ~ GoVolsXtra
May 21, 2009 - Strength coach weakened; Smith is placed under strict review by Kiffin. When Smith was hired, UT said he would earn $190,000. His pay was $140,000 at South Carolina.
Tennessee head football strength and conditioning coach Mark Smith is under strict review by coach Lane Kiffin and might not be with the Vols when summer workouts begin in June, a source told the News Sentinel. The specifics of the friction between Smith and Kiffin were not disclosed. ~ GoVolsXtra
May 22, 2009 Lane Kiffin and Mark Smith Part Ways.
Sources told ESPN.com that Kiffin and his strength and conditioning coach, Mark Smith, met on Thursday and agreed to part ways. The details of Smith's departure as strength coach were still being finalized, and Tennessee athletic department officials declined to comment. ~ ESPN Chris Low
June 8, 2009 - On June 8, 2009 the Raiders organization issued a statement about Lane Kiffin in Tennessee:"Lane Kiffin is a flat-out liar. He lied to the team, he lied to the fans, and he lied to the media. He will try to destroy that university like he tried to destroy the Raiders..."
June 21, 2009 -
North Texas coach: Ausmus heading to Tennessee
Tennessee appears to have settled on a new strength and conditioning coach.On Wednesday, athletic director Mike Hamilton said the Vols had reached an agreement to pay strength and conditioning coach Mark Smith the full amount of his two-year agreement with UT.
Dec. 8, 2009 Pete Thamel writes an article for the New York Times regarding the NCAA launching an investigation related to Tennessee and what would become Hostess Gate. It starts: The N.C.A.A. is conducting a wide-ranging investigation into the University of Tennessees football recruiting practices, according to interviews with several prospects, their family members and high school administrators. A significant part of the investigation is focused on the use of recruiting hostesses who have become folk heroes on Tennessee Internet message boards for their ability to help lure top recruits.
Dec. 31, 2009 Vols trounced in Chic-Filet Bowl by Va. Tech on New Years Eve.
Jan. 12, 2010 Lane Kiffin leaves UT for USC.
Jan. 15, 2010 Derek Dooley is hired by UT.
Feb. 2010 Jenny Moshak, Heather Mason, and Collin Schlosser file a discrimination complaint with the University of Tennessee Office of Equity and Diversity (OED).
2010 From Jennings amended complaint: In 2010, there was an opening for the position Associate Athletic Director for Communications. Jennings made her interest in the position known to a member of the search committee and that person suggested she should apply for the position. Jennings contends that her supervisor Chris Fuller told her she should not apply for the position because Derek Dooley does not want to work with a female. This is paraphrased. Jimmy Stanton was hired on Aug. 10 2010.
Aug. 10, 2010 UT Hires Jimmy Stanton. Stanton joins UT as associate athletic director for communications. The University of Tennessee athletic department announced the addition of Jimmy Stanton (M.S. 1997) as associate athletic director for communications . Stanton will report to Chris Fuller, senior associate athletic director for external operations. ~ official UT release
Sept. 10, 2010 UT receives Letter of Inquiry from the NCAA
It's apparent that the letter of inquiry deals with the men's basketball program, although UT did not specify what sport in a release announcing the press conference. ~ GoVolsXtra
Sept. 27, 2010 Memo from Jimmy Stanton to Chris Fuller Re: My conversation with Debbie Jennings, Sept. 27, 2010. Of his meeting with Jennings Stanton says, I found many of the attitudes and perspective expressed to me in that conversation troubling and indicative of a disrespectful, and at times downright hostile attitude toward numerous internal constituencies. There is much more in the memo. ~ Released by UT to the media.
Winter 2010-2011 From Debby Jennings amended complaint: In the Winter 2010-2011, the Plaintiff learned that UT-K was going to hire a person to run the Media Relations Office and Plaintiff went to Jimmy Stanton and asked him if she could be considered to run the Media Relations Office. Further, the complaint goes on to say, Jimmy Stanton told the Plaintiff no, she would not be considered for the position. Reason according to complaint is that Stanton didnt have the confidence that she could do the job because she was opinionated about the staff. Debby Jennings had run the Media Relations office for the Womens AD for 33 years. Jason Yellin at the time of his hire had 21 years of total experience, but none or possibly only 7 or fewer years running a Media Relations Office.??? Yellin was hired May 23, 2011.
January 20, 2011 OED sends its findings in the case of Moshak, Mason and Schlosser to Dr. Jimmy Cheek. OED found no discrimination took place or that equal pay had been violated but noted "However, several processes were applied in such a way that existing checks and balances were bypassed thus contributing to the present case.
Mar. 1, 2011 Memo from Jimmy Stanton to Chris Fuller. Follow up to Jennings 2010 performance review. Paraphrasing she accuses Stanton of discrimination and tells him that she has discussed the issue with Pat Summitt. Stanton found it troubling and hurtful and said it was absolutely not true. There is much more in the memo. In the performance review, it should be noted that Jennings was marked as Fully Achieves Expectations or better in every category. At the end of the review, the supervisor can comment. Stanton wrote ..While there is limited evidence to indicate that she believed in the direction in which athletic communication is headed, her goals indicate that she views this as a high priority for her in 2011. The rest of his comments were positive. The box for appropriate corrective action has been discussed with employee was checked No.
April 29, 2011 - President Joe Dipietro denies Moshak, Mason , and Schlosser appeal.
May 10, 2011 Memo from Chris Fuller to Tyler Johnson Re:
May 10, 2011 meeting with Debbie Jennings. This meeting was a result of the Mar. 1, 2011 memo in regards to Ms. Jennings allegation that Jimmy Stanton was discriminating against her on the basis of her gender and age. Fuller asks if she feels so strongly about the discrimination, why she had not gone to OED. Jennings had gotten advice but did not want to advance a claim at the time. There is more in the memo.
May 23, 2011 - The University of Tennessee announced the addition of Jason Yellin to the athletic communications department as the assistant athletic director for media relations. Yellin, who is in his seventh year at the University of Massachusetts and currently serves as the associate athletic director for media relations, will have direct oversight of the media relations department for Tennessee Athletics and will be involved with the football communications team. ~ UTSports.com
May 28, 2011 - A 45-year career that's not done; Bud Ford stepping into historian role with UT athletics UT's longtime media relations director has announced his retirement, effective this December. Then, he will take on a new challenge, in the part-time position as UT's athletic department historian, beginning Jan. 1 of next year. ~ GoVolsXtra John Adams
June 7, 2011 Athletic Director Mike Hamilton resigns effective June 30, 2011.
June 9, 2011 Longtime UT womens athletic director Joan Cronan, who was named the universitys interim vice chancellor/director of athletics Thursday, will leave that post when a permanent vice chancellor/director of athletics is named, and return to her job as women's athletic director.In June 2012 she will take on the role as a senior adviser to the schools vice chancellor and chancellor through June 2014. Her position wont be filled ~ GoVolsXtra
June 15, 2011 Dave Serrano hired as new UT baseball coach.
June 30, 2011 Debbie Greenwell files suit in federal court in Alabama
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Two years after she was fired, former University of Alabama cheerleading coach Debbie Greenwell has filed a civil lawsuit against AD Mal Moore, executive AD Dave Hart, university president Robert Witt and the school's trustees. The lawsuit also argues that Alabama has "wrongfully threatened (Greenwell) with criminal prosecution for some undefined financial offense." ~ Birmingham News Kevin Scarbinsky
July 1, 2011 Debbie Greenwell is arrested. Ex-Alabama cheerleading coach Debbie Greenwell charged with theft, ethics violations | al.com
Aug. 23, 2011 Pat Summitt reveals early on set dementia diagnosis.
Sept. 5, 2011 - KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee introduced Dave Hart as its new vice chancellor and athletic director on Monday night. ~ AP
Sept. 20, 2011 - Q&A with new UT athletic director Dave Hart - 'Excellence' still the goal for merged departments
Q: What are your immediate goals as UT's new athletic director?
A: To sit down like you and I are right now, one on one, with staff and coaches. Listen and absorb what they have to say during that conversation and that exchange because I think that when you do that, you begin to develop some common threads good, bad or indifferent. Paints a little bit of a picture for you that you may not have as you initially come in without having the ability to sit down with people.
We've got to put a leadership team in place administratively. That's going to be something that will be very, very important. We're merging the programs. We've got to look at what is the best direction to move in and what is the destination. You can't get in the car and start driving around. You've got to know where you're going. Collectively, we've got to establish that as a high priority.~ GoVolXtra by Andrew Gribble
Dec. 6, 2011 - UT women's athletics employees take discrimination claim to EEOC
Last option for claims of discrimination
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 A twice-rejected claim of gender discrimination still hovers over the Tennessee athletic department, as the three women's athletics employees behind it have exercised their last option and taken their case to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. ~ GoVolsXtra.com
Dec. 2011 Hart asks Jennings to resign. From Burkhalters letter to Cheek: Ultimately, shortly before Christmas 2011, Mr. Hart told Debby he wanted her to announce her retirement before the end of the year.
Dec 25, 2011 - Groundwork laid for merging of UT's long-separate athletic departments - Arkansas AD consulted
Earlier in the month, Hart and members of his tight-knit leadership team, the UT administrators who will guide the program through this complicated and important process, escaped from the office and retreated to an undisclosed location in the city. There, the groundwork was drawn up for what one, cohesive UT athletic department will stand for and how that plan will be executed during the two to three months after the holiday season.
Throughout his first three months at UT, Hart opened up those lines of communication through a long series of one-on-one meetings with about 60 members of the athletic department. Lasting roughly an hour apiece, the meetings, which focused on similar talking points no matter who was on the other side of the table, provided Hart with a sense of what he could consider as the program's "strengths and weaknesses.""I got to know people, they had an opportunity to get to know me," Hart said. "It really helped me gauge whether I was missing the mark or on the mark with what my eyes were seeing."It was very, very productive and beneficial." ~ GoVolsXtra by Andrew Gribble
Jan. 11, 2012 Jennings sends Hart an e-mail saying she does not want to retire.
Feb. 15, 2012 From Summitts affidavit: "On February 15, 2012, I had a meeting with Dave Hart. I requested the meeting to talk to Dave Hart because I heard that he wanted to discontinue using the Lady Vol logo. In that meeting, he told me he intended to place all UT women's and men's athletic teams under the 'power T' so they would be 'all Volunteers.' I was angered when he came out in an interview with the media in May 2012 and denied he ever intended to do away with the Lady Vol logo.
Feb. 27, 2012 Hart responds to Jennings Jan. 11 e-mail. He says, I lack confidence in your commitment to the current management structure and your willingness to adapt to a unified department while generating positive energy.
Mar. 4, 2012 Lady Vols win SEC Tournament 70-58 over LSU.
Mar. 14 2012 Summitt has meeting with Hart and states in her August 10, 2012 affidavit that Dave Hart indicated to me that I would not be coaching the Lady Vol Basketball Team in the next school year(2012-13).
Mar. 15 and 16, 2012 Jennings types the e-mail regarding the meeting between Hart and Summitt and asks Hart to reconsider his decision to have Summitt not coach next year. She also responds to Harts e-mail from Feb. 27, 2012. The e-mail has an address of March 15 and the time stamp says sent 12:52 AM Mar. 16.
Mar. 16 Hart responds to Jennings e-mail at 11:03 AM. The e-mail you sent me at 12:52 AM regarding Coach Summitt is so inaccurate, on so many levels, that it doesnt warrant a meaningful response.
Mar. 16 UT defeats UT-Martin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Mar. 19 UT defeats DePaul in the second round.
Mar. 24 UT defeats Kansas in the Sweet Sixteen.
Mar. 26 UT is defeated by #1 seed Baylor in the Elite Eight.
Apr. 16 2012 - The University of Tennessee athletics department revealed on Monday that it will eliminate 17 full-time positions as part of its consolidation of the men's and women's athletics departments.The 17 employees have been notified that their positions will be eliminated June 1, according to a release issued by Jimmy Stanton, associate athletic director for communications/football. ~ GoVolsXtra
Among those eliminated is Collin Schlosser.
Apr. 18, 2012 Coach Pat Summitt is named Head Coach Emeritus.
May 15, 2012 @ 1:00 PM Hart gives Jennings the ultimatum to retire, be terminated or resign. She decides to retire.
May 18, 2012 Jennings attorney, Mr. Burkhalter , sends Jimmy Cheek an e-mail/letter in regards to Jennings forced retirement.
May 18, 2012 - Bud Ford files breach of contract claim against UT
Ford, who retired in December after 45 years with the UT sports information office, said Friday he filed a claim on April 23 with the state Division of Claims Administration. Ford is seeking $40,000, compensation for a one-year agreement to serve as athletic department historian. Ford said he had a signed agreement for the position, which was to take place after his retirement. Dave Hart, who took over as athletic director and vice-chancellor in September, declined to comment on Friday. GoVolsExtra Mike Strange
May 24, 2012 UTs General Counsel responds to the May 18, letter from Burkhalter. ..Dave Hart decided that Ms. Jennings employment was no longer in the best interests of the Athletic Department because she was insubordinate, disrespectful, and fostered an atmosphere of negativity and division. Attached to the letter was Harts e-mail to Jennings from Feb. 27, 2012. Hart brings up the negativity and division, but the word insubordinate is not used in the e-mail. Also attached is Jennings e-mail from March 15/16 and Harts response on the 16th.
May 24, 2012 UT releases the above mentioned e-mail Jennings sent Hart on March 16 and approximately 250 pages of documents to the media.
May 25, 2012 Burkhalter responds to UTs General Council letter. It starts, I am in receipt of your letter of May 24, 2012, which I note you released to the media along with approximately 250 documents according to the Associated Press. Your letter also contains several assertions and inaccuracies which I will not comment on at this time. Jennings stands by her statement regarding what Summitt told her following the March 14 Summitt/Hart meeting.
May 31, 2012 John Adams has a column in the KNS regarding the perception that Hart is not a strong proponent of womens athletics. Hart is asked by a reporter in Destin Fla. at SEC Media Days a question about the Lady Vols logo and the possible removal of CPSs name from the floor. Hart is quoted by John Adams: Why would we. The column goes on to say the issue of the logo has never been discussed. New head coach Holly Warlick is quoted as well: Everybody is concerned about the (Lady Vols) logo, she said. He has never said were getting rid of the logo
June 21, 2012 Former FSU Softball Coach JoAnne Graph mails a letter to The Knoxville News Sentinel regarding Dave Harts time at FSU.
June 23, 2012 GoVolsExtra and KNS writer posts this headline on GVX: Dispute May Have Lost Strength 2 received raises and other among layoffs. Six months after filing a claim with the EEOC, Schlosser is gone, while Moshak and Mason remain. According to a listing of athletic department salaries obtained by the News Sentinel through a public records request, Moshak and Mason each have received raises.
Aug. 4, 2012 - Former Florida State coach says Dave Hart was bully to women
The unrelenting letter to the editor, postmarked June 21, arrived in Knoxville by way of Tallahassee, Fla.
JoAnne Graf, Florida State's softball coach from 1978-2008, recalled 13 years of discrimination and inequity. Her former athletic director, she wrote, was a "bully (to) women both directly and indirectly." Her former athletic director was "threatened by strong, independent women." Her former athletic director was "definitely not an advocate for women." GoVolsXtra Brendan F. Quinn
Aug. 10, 2012 Summitt signs an affidavit in the presence of Tyler Summitt as a witness with regards to the Feb. 15, 2012 (Lady Vol Logo) meeting and the Mar. 14th meeting( Summitt will not be coach 2012-13).
Aug. 30, 2012 - Cheer Coach's Lawsuit Survives Motion to Dismiss
The federal district court recently denied the University of Alabama's motion to dismiss the retaliation and equal pay claims after determining that Greenwell's complaint stated plausible claims for violations of the respective laws. ~ Title IX Blog
Sept. 27, 2012 Debby Jennings filed suit Thursday in federal court against the University of Tennessee and athletic director Dave Hart alleging "unlawful discrimination and retaliation" after her abrupt departure this spring from an athletic department that she served for more than 35 years as the primary media contact for Lady Vols athletics. ~The Knoxville News Sentinel
Oct. 3, 2012 News of Pat Summitts affidavit leaks to media outlets.
Oct. 4, 2012 Burkhalter amends the Jennings complaint and includes Summitts affidavit.
Oct. 5, 2012 Summitt releases a statement saying she did not feel forced out at any time.
Oct 5, 2012 Burkhalter releases a statement saying that Jennings did not allege that Summitt was forced out.
Oct. 11, 2012 Moshak, Mason, and Schlosser file suit against UT in federal court.
April 25th, 2013 - Heather Mason is fired.
Tennessee Lady Vols cite job performance in firing of associate strength coach Heather Mason - ESPN
August 16th, 2013 - Jenny Moshak Resigns
Jenny Moshak retiring from UT over 'issues of equality' » GoVolsXtra
September 26, 2013 - Court rules Jennings lawsuit against Hart can go forward. This is the same judge the Moshak, Mason and Schlosser case will be in front of.
Metropulse.com: The Daily Pulse
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