UConn Issues Statement on Review of Athletic Department

Jeff Hathaway’s days as athletic director at UConn appear to be numbered.

And rightly or wrongly, his ouster could pave the way for an official announcement by men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun that he will return next season.

UConn President Susan Herbst issued the following statement Sunday evening.

“Athletics is a vital part of UConn and there are many ways to evaluate the success of a collegiate athletic department — academic performance of student-athletes, NCAA compliance, fundraising and overall athletic success,” Herbst said in the statement. “We will be excellent stewards of public and private funds in all areas of the University. As a result, I will be reviewing all divisions of the University over time, but with great urgency, to make sure that we are serving this state in the best possible way. Accountability and excellence are our themes, going forward.

“The Division of Athletics is one of those areas of the university in which we have already begun this evaluation process,” Herbst added.

The New London (Conn.) Day reported Saturday that the school was in the process of trying to buy out Hathaway’s contract, which pays him a base salary of $351,717. His total compensation approaches $600,000 annually. He has a six-year automatic rollover.

This past season, the UConn men won the national championship, the women reached the Final Four and the football team played in a BCS game.

Yet the basketball team lost two scholarships and Calhoun must sit for three Big East games next season because of the NCAA investigation into the Nate Miles scandal.

It is no secret that Calhoun and Hathaway, also the chair of the 2012 NCAA men’s basketball selection committee, have a frosty relationship, and Calhoun has gone out of his way to praise Herbst.

“She wants me to stay for a couple years,” the 69-year-old Calhoun, who has three years left on his contract, said in May at the New York Athletic Club. “She’s already said that to me in a whole bunch of different ways, contractually and otherwise.”

DeAndre Daniels, who verbally committed to UConn this spring, told SNY.tv that Calhoun already promised him he would coach this upcoming season.

But it may turn out that Hathaway’s departure could open the door for Calhoun to win in a power struggle and remain at UConn for several more years.

(Photo courtesy Stamford Advocate)