N.C. State Officials Reportedly Want Valvano to Resign

North Carolina State’s board of trustees, stunned by new information regarding the academic performance of Jim Valvano’s basketball players, has directed its attorney to seek the coach’s resignation, newspapers in Raleigh and Charlotte reported.

The News and Observer of Raleigh and the Charlotte Observer reported in today’s editions that if Valvano refuses, he may have to go to court to seek compensation for the 4 1/2 years remaining on his contract as head basketball coach.

That contract contains a provision for Valvano to be paid $400,000 if he leaves, unless another agreement is reached.

The decision came after trustees listened to a presentation by acting chancellor Larry Monteith on Tuesday about a widespread lack of progress of Valvano’s recruits in the classroom.

“He really laid it all out about the academic performance of the team,” one unidentified person was quoted as saying. “It’s miserable.”

The review included information from the campus public safety office, which documented a pattern of basketball players being in trouble with campus authorities.

Howard Manning, the Raleigh lawyer representing the board in its negotiations with the coach’s agent, asked trustees for a week to secure Valvano’s resignation.

Manning told board members he planned to present the information about serious academic problems to Art Kaminsky, Valvano’s agent.