A former University of Minnesota men's basketball team academic counselor, who is suing the school for sexual harassment, alleges in an affidavit filed Jan. 6 that a basketball coach asked him in 1986 to do course work for a player, court documents obtained Thursday show. Marsden's supervisor at the time, former academic counseling unit head Elayne Donahue, confirmed Thursday that Marsden told her 13 years ago about the exchange with Haskins. She said she does not remember what she did about Marsden's complaint. Marsden, who is gay, filed a suit against the university in November, contending that ''homophobic attitudes of administrators at Minnesota deprived him of advancement,'' Marsden's lawyer, Judy Schermer, said then. Marsden said doctors determined he was mentally unable to work in men's athletics after he suffered what he calls ''a mental breakdown'' in the fall.
People can spin it any way they want.
The Pioneer Press reported Wednesday that Gangelhoff, a former office manager in the academic counseling unit, said she did more than 400 pieces of course work for at least 20 players over a five-year period. Four players confirmed she did the work for them, a possible violation of the school's conduct code and NCAA rules. Sandra Gardebring, the school's vice president for institutional relations, said she is unfamiliar with the specifics of Marsden's allegations against Haskins. The conversation was decidedly one-sided as Coach Haskins lectured me on his philosophy regarding academics and athletics. I asked Coach Haskins to clarify what he meant.