UMaine AD quitting after stormy seige> Mike Ploszek to step down on April 15

Michael Ploszek, trapped in the eye of a relentless storm of events that has battered the University of Maine athletic department, will resign as athletic director effective April 15.

The announcement came Friday evening in a prepared statement by UMaine President Frederick Hutchinson, who said the action is being taken by mutual agreement of himself and Ploszek.

Ploszek was vindicated Thursday by University of Maine System Chancellor J. Michael Orenduff, whose own examination of a situation involving the discovery of ineligible graduate student-athletes yielded no new information.

In a related development Friday, Linwood “Woody” Carville agreed to retire as the university’s NCAA compliance officer, effective March 25.

Hutchinson said Ploszek’s resignation is necessary to help the university repair the damage done to its integrity because of the problems that have surfaced during the 1993-94 academic year.

“I am hopeful that these actions will bring closure to the ongoing series of events that have troubled the university community, its supporters, and others who share an interest in the strength and integrity of the university,” Hutchinson said.

The UM president stressed that neither the investigation conducted by former U.S. Congressman Stanley Tupper nor Orenduff’s probe revealed Ploszek had acted improperly at any time. However, the damage has already been done.

“Though Mike has been cleared of any intent to conceal information from the NCAA, he understands that this procession of charges has overshadowed, and could continue to overshadow, the department and university he has worked to enhance,” Hutchinson said. “I feel, and Mike agrees, that the department needs new leadership to give it a fresh start.”

Ploszek, who never explained why he neglected to prevent two graduate student-athletes from competing on the weekend of Feb. 19-20 after learning of their ineligibility days earlier, issued a brief statement Friday.

“This has been an extremely difficult time for this entire institution and the athletics department,” Ploszek said. “It is critical that the university regain its balance and focus and get on with life in a meaningful way. I have had enough of all of this and want to put it behind everyone.”

Ploszek, who was hired by the university on Aug. 20, 1991, will have his contract honored through Nov. 1, 1994. That represents a sum of $42,208.63.

Hutchinson said the financial concessions, which also will allow Ploszek to retain his accrued retirement and vacation benefits and entitlements, were made because of the athletic director’s willingness to resign and forfeit the final 2 1/2 years of his contract.

Hutchinson further addressed Ploszek’s role in the department’s problems by refuting allegations that he intended to cover up the discovery of ineligible student-athletes.

“It must be pointed out that throughout the past two months, the most serious charge levied against Mike was that he contemplated something that he did not do – that is, to withhold information from the NCAA,” Hutchinson stated. “In the eyes of some, he was guilty of thinking about not acting.

“His actions demonstrate that, even if he did harbor those thoughts, as his accusers have claimed, he rejected them. The chronology of events right through February 24 shows that the university did self-report and publicly announce the violations, and that there was no doubt on the university’s part that it would report those violations once the facts were established.”

Carville’s departure ends a 34-year career in athletics and athletic administration at UMaine, the university reported. Negotiating through Maine Education Association employee advocate Rolf Tallberg, Carville has made a retirement arrangement that will pay him through Aug. 31, the date of his originally scheduled retirement.

The agreement was reached Friday during a telephone conversation between Dale MacDonald, the UMaine Director of Human Resources, and Tallberg.

Carville will be paid $12,180.85 for the period between March 25 and Aug. 31, and is entitled to $3,849.15 for accrued vacation and all other benefits he has earned.

“I feel my reputation is completely restored,” said a relieved Carville, who credited Orenduff with resolving his situation. “I was ready for retirement. When you spend 34 years doing the same things… I love those contests, but enough’s enough. It was time for somebody else to do it.”

Carville was placed on indefinite investigatory leave by Hutchinson on March 3 after the president learned Carville had delayed reporting the discovery that five graduate student-athletes were ineligible.