Report: UW official grabbed student's crotch

Report: UW official grabbed student's crotch

Published Jan. 25, 2012 2:52 p.m. ET

MADISON, Wis. — A University of Wisconsin athletic department administrator put his hand down the pants of a student employee and grabbed the student's crotch during the Badgers' Rose Bowl trip, according to a university report.

John Chadima resigned as senior associate athletic director two weeks ago, but an explanation for his sudden departure was unavailable until the release Tuesday of the findings of a four-person panel.
Chadima, 46, allegedly grabbed the genitals of the student, identified only as "John Doe," after a Rose Bowl party and threatened to fire the male employee.

The panel interviewed 23 people, including professional staff and student employees regarding the matter. The report said the panel was not able to arrange an interview with head football coach Bret Bielema.

"What has been alleged is not only a sexual assault but also a serious breach of trust within a community that we heard described repeatedly by student employees as a tight-knit and supportive family," the panel wrote in its findings. "That the department's staff and student employees alike have had such high regard for Chadima exacerbates the difficulty they have in understanding what has happened."

Chadima, who worked in the athletic department for 22 years, declined to speak with the panel but released a statement through his attorney in which he said he was "deeply saddened by the contents of this review."

"It is certainly not reflective of the type of person I am, my lifestyle, my management style or my faith or beliefs," said Chadima, who oversaw capital projects and was the sports administrator for football, men's and women's golf and wrestling. "However, I make no excuses and have come to the realization that over the past few months, alcohol had controlled and consumed my life.

"I am taking steps to correct that problem in my life at this time. I will take full responsibility for my lack of judgment and actions that evening."

According to the report, Chadima had sponsored parties at each of Wisconsin's past four bowl game appearances for the staff and student employees who worked "behind the scenes" in support of the football program.

Chadima held a party in conjunction with the 2011 Rose Bowl on Dec. 30, and the event lasted into the early morning of Dec. 31. The party was held in Chadima's suite at the JW Marriott Los Angeles, where most of the university's contingent stayed for Wisconsin's football game against Oregon.

The report claims Chadima provided alcohol, beer and mixers and that guests were invited to serve themselves. Some of the student employees who attended were allegedly younger than the legal drinking age of 21.

When the party ended, Chadima allegedly said, "Stay here and have a drink with me," to the student identified as "John Doe." According to the report, the student said he had no reason to be suspicious of Chadima and made "about three rum drinks each for Chadima and himself." The student said he and Chadima were likely intoxicated but coherent.

At one point, the student told the panel, Chadima allegedly said he and other student employees thought that "John Doe" might be gay.

The student told the panel he felt uncomfortable but did not expect what was about to unfold. "John Doe" alleges that Chadima reached over and removed the student's pants belt, inserted his hand inside the student's pants and touched his genitals. The student said he was shocked and frightened and slapped Chadima's hand away and cursed at him.

According to the report, Chadima then made the following statements to the student employee:

•"I thought you liked it."
•"What are you going to do about it?"
•"I could have you fired."

At this point, the student employee said, he left the room and noted that Chadima seemed to think the incident was "just joking around."

According to the report, "John Doe" knocked on the hotel door of his immediate supervisor at 3:15 a.m. and related the incident to him. "John Doe" stated that he didn't want to do anything to disrupt the football team's bowl preparations but said that "this just isn't right." The supervisor said they would talk about the incident later in the morning.

"John Doe" then visited three fellow student employees to inform them about what had happened.
 
The student employee returned to Madison on Jan. 3 on the football team's charter flight. The next morning, the student employee's supervisors called the Madison police, who met with campus and athletic department officials over the next two days.

Chadima resigned amid unspecified charges of misconduct on Jan. 6, just hours after Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez and school chancellor David Ward placed Chadima on paid administrative leave and decided to appoint a committee.

The panel was led by Patrick Fiedler, an attorney and former Dane County Circuit Judge, and included former assistant dean of students Yolanda Garza, former associate dean of students Roger Howard and former assistant chief of university police Dale Burke.

According to the panel, the allegation by "John Doe" was the only evidence of authoritative abuse by Chadima. However, the panel said it found a text message Chadima sent to another student employee on Dec. 30 demanding the student come to Chadima's hotel suite or be fired. That student was not willing to speak with the panel.

The panel questioned the wisdom of the use of alcohol at an event where more than half of the participants were students. The suite was provided by the athletic department from a purchase made with donor funds.

While Alvarez and other senior University of Wisconsin athletic officials knew of Chadima's parties, they did not attend them.

"We believe there is reason to question the appropriateness of the sort of unregulated service of alcohol to students," the panel wrote, "as well as the practice of a professional staff member drinking with students at university events."

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