Northridge Will Not Renew Track Coach Webb’s Contract

“The past two days I’ve been trying to sort out what has happened.”

--BILL WEBB, CSUN

Bill Webb, the highly successful coach of the Cal State Northridge men’s track team, will not be asked to return as coach next year.

Lennin H. Glass, dean of the School of Communications and Professional Studies at CSUN, said Tuesday that Webb has been notified by letter that he will not be reappointed the next school year.

Webb, 35, is the reigning California Collegiate Athletic Assn. track Coach of the Year. His team has placed in the NCAA Division II top 10 in each of the last six years.

Glass and Athletic Director Bob Hiegert declined to say why Webb would not be retained, citing confidentiality in dealing with personnel matters.

However, Glass said coaches, in a review for reappointment, are judged on more than their winning percentage.

“Whether the program is successful in wins and losses is only one consideration in the process,” he said. “We also have to consider how well an individual works within a team framework--in this case, the team being the athletic department. Does he work well with other coaches? Does he get along with other people in the department? A lot of factors are involved.”

Webb, who is preparing his team for the CCAA track and field championships this weekend, said he is not aware of wrongdoing on his part that may have led to the decision.

“I have no idea what the problem is,” Webb said. “The past two days I’ve been trying to sort out what has happened, but I just can’t figure it out. They must have some serious concerns about the way I’ve handled some aspects of my program. What those concerns are, I have not been appraised of.”

The contracts of all CSUN coaches are renewed yearly. When being considered for reappointment, coaches are reviewed by an athletic department committee and Sam Winningham, the department chairman.

Written reviews are passed to Glass, who acts on behalf of the college president in the decision process.

Webb said he received a positive letter of review from the department committee on April 22.

The following day he received another letter from Winningham. The letter said Webb’s contract would not be renewed.

Six days later, Webb said Glass had concurred with the department chairman.

“I know that the athletic director (Hiegert) recommended to the department chair that I not be retained,” Webb said. “I guess they considered his recommendation more than they did that of the department’s committee.”

The school’s action comes only a year after Webb was promoted to head coach.

It is not the first time Webb has been turned down for reappointment.

In 1981, he appealed a decision not to renew his contract, and won.

He says he hopes to do the same thing this time, but he may not have a chance.

Glass said that his decision is final, and cannot be officially appealed do to the collective bargaining agreement between the state and members of the State Faculty Assn.

“Last time he had the option of filing a grievance,” Glass said. “That is not the case this time.”

Informed late Tuesday of Glass’s statement, Webb said he may then consider other legal action.