As claims involving sexual and dating violence within the University of Arizona athletic department continue to mount, athletic director Dave Heeke said Friday that the school “must do more” to establish a positive culture in the school’s athletic programs.
“As President (Robert) Robbins has recently made clear, the University continues to review and enhance our Title IX efforts and we welcome the opportunity to be a part of that change,” Heeke said in an open letter sent to employees, boosters and season ticket holders.
“President Robbins has initiated changes throughout the University since his arrival and we must be willing to do the same within athletics, examining our structure, our personnel and our culture in our pursuit of excellence.”
Title IX is a federal law that protects students from sex discrimination, including dating and sexual violence.
Heeke’s letter did not address the scandals specifically or say what the UA plans to do to improve. Heeke has not met spoken publicly since football coach Kevin Sumlin was hired more than a month ago.
Although the UA’s support and resources for athletes are “well-respected within college athletics,” the school can do more to meet the challenges and demands on the 21st century athlete, Heeke said in the statement.
While the school’s education, training and “multitude of initiatives to ensure respect, diversity and safety” are strong foundations on which to build, the UA has to try harder to establish a positive culture within its athletic department, according to the statement.
“We will continue to work hard every day to graduate our student-athletes, to win Pac-12 and national championships and to do so with integrity that the Wildcat family demands,” he wrote.
The UA is the subject of two federal lawsuits, a lawsuit in Pima County Superior Court and a multi-million preliminary claim, that say the athletic department fostered a culture of sexual hostility and officials allowed students to be abused while turning a blind eye.
The Star reported Thursday that one of the lawsuits was amended to include allegations that football players had gang-raped female students and staffers in recent years. The involved parties weren’t named in the suit and few details were immediately available.
“We will do the right thing — always,” Heeke said in the statement. “We are grounded in strong principles and we are aligned with our University values.”
