Northwestern President Morton Schapiro defends hiring Mike Polisky as athletic director, saying he met the ‘highest standard of conduct and character’
Following days of criticism surrounding Mike Polisky’s hiring as Northwestern’s athletic director, university President Morton Schapiro released a letter Thursday explaining his decision and stating confidence that Polisky met the “highest standard of conduct and character.”
Polisky, a Northwestern deputy athletic director for more than a decade, is one of four defendants along with the university in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a cheerleader, who in her complaint accused Polisky of dismissing her allegations.
Schapiro said an initial inquiry portion of an independent investigation is complete and “there is no information to suggest that Mike engaged in any conduct that is a violation of policy.” The investigator was hired to examine “any new concerns of discrimination, harassment or retaliation, or any concerns of discrimination, harassment or retaliation that the Cheer Team feels were not previously addressed,” he wrote.
Northwestern filed a motion to dismiss last week, and Schapiro said, “Northwestern denies that it or any of its current employees violated any laws, including Title IX.”
Sources told the Tribune some board of trustees and search committee members were upset Schapiro selected Polisky, who was one of four candidates the committee recommended to Schapiro, and worried about the optics of hiring someone involved in an ongoing lawsuit. Northwestern announced the hire Monday.
In a letter addressed to “concerned members of the Northwestern community,” Schapiro said he interviewed seven candidates in recent weeks and was most impressed with Polisky.
“At the conclusion, I felt certain that Mike was the best person to lead our Department of Athletics and Recreation forward, based on his body of work at Northwestern and his understanding of the University community, its culture and its values,” he wrote in the letter.
“The University employed an external search firm. As part of the search firm’s process, they conducted a detailed examination of Mike’s background, which involved interviews by a former FBI supervisory special agent and a review by a former federal judge. Their findings gave me further confidence in Mike’s full fitness for the position, and I would not have hired him if he did not meet the highest standard of conduct and character.”
Faculty have planned a protest Friday afternoon that will march to Schapiro’s home. Six faculty members sent a letter to the university provost Wednesday asking for greater transparency.
Polisky replaces Jim Phillips, who left in February after more than a decade to become ACC commissioner.
Polisky is a familiar face at Northwestern athletic events and worked closely with Phillips on major projects since joining the department in 2010. He previously served as president of the Chicago Wolves hockey team and president and general manager of the Chicago Rush arena football team. As Northwestern’s deputy athletic director for external affairs, he spent a decade working in branding and strategy, involved in ticket sales and service, marketing, corporate sponsorship, media and public relations, creative services, community relations, fan experience and merchandising.
Hayden Richardson, the cheerleader who sued in January, said in the complaint the university sexually exploited cheerleaders and put them in uncomfortable and dangerous situations with drunk fans who groped them.
Andrew Miltenberg, Richardson’s attorney, said Thursday in a statement to the Tribune: “(It’s) clear that Northwestern is not taking the issue of sexual abuse even remotely seriously. This appointment is even more outrageous because Mr. Polisky called my client’s claims of sexual harassment fraudulent and fabricated when she first came forward to report them to Mr. Polisky, as she was a cheerleader under his direction.”
Schapiro concluded his letter stating “the safety and well-being of the Northwestern community is our top priority, and Mike and his Athletics and Recreation leadership team are deeply committed to the same.”
Northwestern is expected to hold a news conference with Polisky and Schapiro early next week.
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