Virginia University Lynchburg Coach Newman

Virginia coach proves to be a magnet for complaints and controversy

Some of the lawsuit allegations are denied by the university's attorney in a court filing. However, similar complaints of fraudulent or deceptive practices were voiced among 25 former players, coaches and school staffers interviewed by ESPN. They described an athletic program that, they say:

• Attracted coaches with salary promises that the school failed to honor after several had uprooted themselves to Lynchburg.
  
• Failed to deliver on promised athletic scholarships and paid housing.
  
• Made players pay for their own basic trainer-related services and supplies, including ice for ice baths. Some players say they resorted to taping each other's ankles.
  
• Pressured one player to suit up despite suffering a concussion and dismissed the seriousness of other players' injuries.
  
• Promised housing conditions that fell far short of standards athletes were led to expect. Multiple players and coaches cited cases of mold and insects in rooms, and video from one room showed a caved-in ceiling in a bathroom.

Source: https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/46605780/newman-football-lynchburg

 

Are these the same complaints that went viral a few years ago, but they're now in a formal lawsuit?

 

Long story short, former coach Lewis is suing Tim Newman and VUL for $25,000 for breach of contract and fraud. He claims Newman verbally promised to match his previous $30,000 salary, but after Lewis quit his job and moved, he was offered a drastically reduced $7,000 contract. The larger issue for Lewis is he failed to get a contract before quitting his job and relied on "Trust me Bro" Everything else is a rehash of VUL's business practice,

 

"Several former athletes complained of poor academic rigor at VUL. One player compared a class assignment to working in a child's coloring book and noted other schools' rejection of credits earned at VUL."

The difficulty in transferring credits is likely due to the national accreditation. Instead of being honest with prospective students, the president tells them that it is illegal to not accept credits or degrees from nationally accredited schools, which is not true. When I told prospective VUL students the truth, I received an aggressive, unprofessional phone call from the president.

I, obviously, have no issue with professional doctorates. If a school wants to require an internship, externship, or practicum instead of a capstone, action project, or dissertation, then fine, but be honest about what the courses are.

Based on what's been reported by VUL DHA students, the research practicum consists of filling out an IRB application. The teaching practicum doesn't involve teaching or observing teaching. The leadership practicum doesn't involve observing someone in leadership. How are these practica? I don't understand.

 

Considering the salaries of many D1 college football coaches (Bill Belichick is getting $10 million per year at North Carolina), that's pretty amusing.