WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1999

Shumard responds to CS Fullerton probation

By Jay Seidel

On-Line Forty-Niner

When the NCAA handed down its ruling punishing the Cal State Fullerton men's basketball program last week, Long Beach State was indirectly involved.

The Titan punishment stems from various alleged recruiting violations that occurred during 1993-94, and failures by the head coach and athletic director at the time to "adequately monitor" the program and showed a "lack of institutional control."

CSUF's former athletic director, Bill Shumard, is the current athletic director for Long Beach State.

Shumard, who resigned as athletic director at CSUF in the Spring of 1994 to become director at LBSU, was reprimanded by the NCAA report for the violations that occurred in his first year as athletic director.

"I'm very disappointed that this [the alleged violations] happened on my watch at Fullerton," Shumard said. "We were going through a period that was a true crisis mode ... there were three quarters of a million dollars in state cutbacks, we were in the process of dropping football, and there was the legal battle over gender equity."

Shumard said he cooperated with the NCAA and Fullerton throughout the two-year investigation.

"While I offer no excuses, it was certainly the most difficult time in my career," Shumard said. "Was I knowingly aware anything was going on? Absolutely not."

President Robert Maxson, who was president of the University of Nevada Las Vegas when the NCAA handed down violations for Jerry Tarkanian's actions as head coach of the men's basketball program in the early 90s, had remarks about the penalties and Shumard.

"I thought the penalties [to CSUF] were a little harsh," Maxson said. "But in regards to Bill Shumard, I have great confidence in Bill. He is very good and a man of integrity. Whatever happened at Fullerton has no effect on my confidence of Bill."

David Swank, chairman of the NCAA Div. I infractions committee, felt differently.

"These are serious violations and they call for a severe penalty," he said.

Shumard said he has learned a lot from the violations experience, and that the program at LBSU is in compliance with the NCAA regulations.

"I believe in educating the coaches," Shumard said. "We have check points set up that ensure things are in compliance."

The penalties placed upon CSUF were: the men's basketball program is placed on probation for four years, no scholarships may be offered to junior college transfers for two years, the number of scholarships the program can offer athletes is reduced from 13 to 11, the present head coach is restricted from off-campus recruiting for a year, and the current coaching staff must attend a NCAA compliance seminar for one year. Head coach Bob Hawking must attend the seminar two years.

No penalties were assessed to the former head coach, Brad Holland.