A couple of years ago I helped support a trip by the UAA
Women’s basketball team to Washington, D.C. and Virginia, as part of their
season opening exhibition tour. Among other things they played the
University of Virginia, where I graduated from Law School and someplace I know
quite a bit about.
I viewed that opportunity as a way to help support one of
the reasons why I think UAA Athletics is important. As I have
said repeatedly, I have
supported UAA Athletics in the past because I think it plays an important role
in building Alaska leaders. I viewed the potential for the women on that
team to experience the history, traditions and institutions of both DC and
Virginia as a great opportunity in that process.
My involvement was not a surprise. I talked
about it – and
UAA wrote
about it – in an “I Love UAA” column in the “Green & Gold News.”
The team also
blogged
about it publicly during the trip.
As the Green & Gold story notes, at the time I was a
major contributor to the Athletic Department. (Interestingly enough, it seems I
still am. Despite the fact that I have not had an extended discussion with
anyone in the Athletics Department, or UAA for that matter, for over a year as
the situation with Dr. Cobb deteriorated, UAA continues regularly to charge my
credit card in fulfillment of my previous pledges.) Because I thought it
was an important opportunity in the effort to develop leadership for the state,
I also contributed additionally toward the costs of the Virginia trip.
The efforts proved successful. In one logistically challenging, but accomplishable day, the team
toured the White House, had a reception and met with all three members of the
Alaska Congressional delegation,
was given a tour of the Capitol personally by
Senator Murkowski and toured the Jefferson and Martin Luther King Memorials,
the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History and the Holocaust Museum. I arranged and paid for a shuttle bus so the team wouldn't waste time and potentially miss appointments driving in DC traffic and looking for parking spaces (which don't exist).
In subsequent days the team toured the University of Virginia, toured and had dinner in Mr.
Jefferson’s Rotunda and toured Monticello. I paid for dinner in the Rotunda because I have a very strong connection to the University and felt that I was hosting them in my house. Where I grew up, you don't invite someone to your house for dinner and then have them pay for it. It is something I wish all
Alaskans could do, but I only was positioned to affect this subset.
Then, a few weeks ago, the NCAA called and wanted to talk
about it. I hadn't heard anything from UAA about the potential for such a
call, and still haven’t. But I understand they knew about it in advance.
We talked, I was open and had a good conversation. At
one point in the conversation one of the NCAA representatives on the call
raised the potential that some of the actions related to the trip were
inconsistent with the NCAA rules. I was more than a little surprised by
that because I was careful continually to clear any arrangements I made in
advance and during the trip with UAA. Certainly, it was the team’s
schedule; I didn't want to do anything to interfere with that, only enhance it
if it was consistent with the team’s other plans.
Last Friday I received
an email, following up on my request
at the end of the call to let me know if they found any such
inconsistencies. Their view:
It was determined that the
expenses you paid during the team’s trip to the Virginia area were
impermissible and inconsistent with NCAA legislation. In order for such
expenses to be permissible, a monetary donation deposited directly with the
institution was necessary, and that did not happen in this case.
Thank you again for your
assistance in these matters. It does not appear as though we need
anything additional from you at this time. Thank you.
So, it seems it was fine for me to contribute toward the costs of the trip, but it was done in the wrong way. Lesson learned, I suppose, but this seems a little bit form over substance and it’s not like UAA didn't know – and retain control over – what I was doing. If they had told me to handle it another way, I would have.
In any event, at least as measured by the team’s “wow” reaction, the trip achieved its objectives – and I think the team, University and state are better for having made the effort. Once the current storm with UAA passes, I might do it again … but next time, I suppose I will deposit the related “monetary donation .. directly with the institution” and ask UAA three or four additional times, and three or four different ways, whether there are any other NCAA rules applicable to the efforts. I've had all of this fun I can stand.
