SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University (SU) made a string of major announcements Wednesday morning, affecting the future of its athletics program in the wake of the NCAA recently hitting it with substantial penalties.
SU announced that men’s basketball head coach Jim Boeheim “intends to retire” in three years, that Dr. Daryl Gross has stepped down as director of athletics, and that the school will appeal some of the penalties imposed by the NCAA less than two weeks ago.
SU Chancellor Kent Syverud made the announcements in a letter to the university community posted on the school’s website.
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The chancellor noted that he’s had discussions “in recent weeks” with both Gross and Boeheim “about the best way to move forward.”
In his talks with Syverud, Boeheim said that the plans to retire in three years, the chancellor wrote.
“His goal in making this decision and announcement now is to bring certainty to the team and program in the coming years, and enable and plan for a successful, longer-term transition in coaching leadership,” Syverud wrote.
In his discussion with Syverud, Gross asked “to conclude his tenure” as director of athletics and transition to a new role that SU can “benefit from his background and experience in the areas of marketing and advancement.”
“He believes this transition will allow SU Athletics to move forward and position itself for continued future success,” Syverud wrote.
Gross is now vice president and special assistant to the chancellor, and will serve as an adjunct professor in SU’s David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.
Gross’s new position is “effective today,” and he issued a statement through the school.
“Today, I am announcing that after 10 years of leading the [SU] Department of Athletics, I have decided that it is time for me to take on new challenges. I am truly humbled and honored to have served. … We are truly proud of the transformational changes, most notably our move to the ACC, which has shaped and strengthened our program for years to come,” Gross said in the statement.
Syverud has appointed Pete Sala, senior associate director of athletics for facilities and the managing director of the Carrier Dome, to serve as interim director of athletics.
Steve Ballentine, a member of the board of trustees who serves on the board’s athletics committee, will chair a small committee to assist SU in the search for a new athletics director, according to the letter.
NCAA appeal
Besides the decisions from Gross and Boeheim, Syverud also wrote that SU plans to appeal the NCAA’s reduction of scholarships in the men’s basketball program as well as its move to vacate some of Syracuse basketball’s victories.
Both penalties were part of the NCAA infractions-committee report.
The penalties included a reduction of three men’s basketball scholarships for the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years, the NCAA report said.
The decision to appeal followed a “full discussion” with the board of trustees’ athletics committee, according to Syverud’s letter.
“Based on the facts and a review of previous NCAA infractions decisions, [SU] believes the impact of these specific penalties is excessive and disproportionate,” Syverud wrote.
The chancellor also noted that SU will support Boeheim if he should also choose to appeal penalties “that affect him personally.” The NCAA also suspended Boeheim for the first 9 ACC games next season.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
