SDSU’s Day Says Athletic Audit Will Take Time

San Diego State president Thomas Day’s two-page statement Thursday was a lot longer in length than substance. It was Day’s first public statement since the current turmoil involving the SDSU athletic department became public last Thursday.

Day reiterated what had been reported and did not shed new light on the situation.

Even though he has told university personnel to refer all questions to his office, he is still not granting interviews or returning phone calls to the media.

In his statement, he said the current audit of the athletic department, which he ordered last week, “will take at least another two weeks to be as thorough as I think necessary. . . . When all the reports are in, I will share the conclusions.”

The opening of Day’s statement read: “About one week ago, two sets of circumstances developed concerning our Intercollegiate Athletics program. One had to do with our men’s basketball program and the admission to the University of some prospective student-players. The other had to do with some operations within the Athletics administration.

“In different ways, these two areas are primarily concerned with matters about which it is difficult for me to speak freely.”

Concerning operations within the athletics administration, Day’s statement read: “The concerns appearing in the media about administrative operations within the Athletics office touch on even more delicate matters of privacy. They involve job performance, reputations, staff morale, and managerial integrity . . . I feel a very strong obligation to try to protect our staff (and students) from harm or embarrassment--at a minimum, not to contribute to premature discussion of any allegations about individuals.

“While not wishing to discuss any personnel details at this time, I do wish to assure the public that I am fully briefed, and am personally following both matters. I have asked the appropriate staff to keep me informed as they look into all aspects, and last week I ordered an audit within the Athletics administration. . . . I hasten to add that ordering an audit is a normal action in these circumstances, and does not imply any impropriety.”

Day’s ordering of the audit followed the firing of three SDSU employees by athletic director Mary Alice Hill last Wednesday. The three employees were reinstated hours later. Hill, currently on a two-week vacation that was ordered by Day, is still unavailable for comment. Numerous messages have been left on her home answering machine.

In regard to the men’s basketball program, Day’s statement read: “In the basketball case, there is public discussion about the academic performance of particular students. This goes beyond simply confirming whether a student has been admitted to SDSU. I believe the University has a responsibility to protect the privacy of students as they seek admission. I am, therefore, unwilling to discuss individual student records or decisions based upon them.”

All seven of the SDSU freshman recruits have at least a 2.0 grade-point average, and thereby qualify under NCAA standards. However, at SDSU, the recruits are considered special admissions because they do not meet the school’s higher admissions requirements. A student’s high school GPA, college test scores, and a required number of high school English and math courses are used to determine entrance criteria.

Three freshman recruits who are awaiting special admissions have to retake college entrance exams within the next two weeks. Aztec Coach Smokey Gaines said Wednesday that the chance of recruit Wilbert Frazier being admitted “is quite dim.” Three other freshman recruits have already been admitted as special admissions.

Day’s statement on admission requirements: “SDSU’s requirements are a matter of public policy and record--they are available in any catalogue, and quite clear. . . . Exceptions to the regular admission criteria are matters of student-academic professional judgment made on an individual basis, trying to balance many factors--particularly the student’s chances of doing well academically at SDSU. These judgments may need facts not even available until after a spring semester, or summer course or test.