Thank you, Chancellor Byyny.

I want to take a moment to address certain segments of our community who have been so deeply affected by the events of the past few months.

To the women of CU, and especially to those who have been the victims of sexual misconduct: I want to say I feel deeply for you, and I empathize with the suffering and frustration some of you have experienced. I want to state categorically that violence against women is abhorrent to the values of this University. Period. Every student, faculty and staff member must keenly understand that the safety and welfare of women is of critical importance at CU. We will be taking a number of steps to expand our education and support services in this area.

This also raises a point vital to all male and female CU students, the vast majority of whom are wonderful, responsible and caring. The responsibility of the University extends only so far. A facet of the university experience is learning how best to manage your freedom, and to take responsibility for your decisions and actions. You are old enough to vote.  You are old enough to represent your country in the armed forces. You are old enough to live on your own.  You are old enough to be responsible for your own conduct and the consequences of it.

We understand how difficult the transition to adulthood can be. We will help you in any way we can.  We intend to expand our efforts in areas related to sexual harassment, as well as the abuse of sex, drugs and alcohol.  And we will aggressively help victims of abuse and sexual assault. 

To the members of the football team, I want to say we recognize that the overwhelming majority of you are upstanding and hard-working contributors to our University community.  I hate to see so many terrific young men have their reputations tarnished by the actions of a few.  I want to thank you and your parents for remaining so steadfast in your belief that the University supports you, too.

You must also recognize that student athletes, especially football players, have been perceived as having special status and of receiving special treatment.  What you really have is a special bond among yourselves, and a special responsibility to each other and this university.

If we have learned anything recently, it is that the actions of a few of your teammates can damage the reputations of all of you and this great institution.  So, you must assume your responsibility, not only personally, but also as part of your athletic community.  You must call your teammates to account for their actions. It is not acceptable to shield your teammates if they are engaging in behavior detrimental to themselves, to other students, their team or this school. You must address them, and you must enable the coaches and other administrators to intervene if necessary. It is not always easy, but we cannot be lax in this area.

Now, to the entire Athletics Department and its supporters: I want to say first that we deeply appreciate your dedication and devotion to CU. 

I also want to be clear that the notion that a university’s athletic teams cannot simultaneously be academically and athletically successful is just plain wrong. Many of our athletes already exemplify both academic and athletic excellence. First and foremost, our football players are students and they will be treated as such.

We will continue to be athletically competitive. We will be academically focused. And we will conduct our athletic programs in the highest moral and ethical tradition.

I ask you also to recognize that we must have an athletic culture that is consistent with the values of this University and is supportive of women as athletes, as fellow students and as employees. To the degree that a “good old boys club” still exists within the Athletics Department, those days are over.  We are going to ensure that the administrators, coaches and players are completely integrated into the student and academic communities on the Boulder campus.

To our students, faculty, staff, alumni, CU supporters – and even to many of our critics – I want to say that your actions and words show you care deeply for CU. Thank you for your suggestions about how to make this a better university. Thank you for your support and your belief that we can overcome the challenges of recent days and move forward to a higher, better place. 

Now, I want to address the remaining accountability and personnel issues by first putting them into some perspective.

After having gathered information from many sources, I find the suggestion that CU’s Athletics Department and the people who oversee it foster a climate that condones rape and sexual abuse utterly contrary to the facts as I know them, contrary to my personal values and contrary to the values of this University.

I do not believe that coaches and administrators at this University knowingly used sex, alcohol and drugs as recruiting tools for prospective football players. It is clear that in a few isolated instances, recruits attended parties where they consumed alcohol and had sexual encounters.  That is unacceptable, and we are taking steps to see that this kind of behavior does not occur again.

It is quite clear that alcohol abuse is a serious problem at CU – as it is at many colleges and universities. That is not an excuse, although it is a frightening fact.  We already are taking steps to expand our alcohol education programs and tighten our policies, enforcement and penalties in this regard. We will continue to search for ways to address alcohol abuse by students in the future.

In the area of oversight, accountability and internal communication about potential problems as they arose, let me be clear: There were breakdowns. I take responsibility for my share of those problems, as do Chancellor Byyny, Athletics Director Tharp and Coach Barnett.  I have spoken with each person individually and in-depth about the problems that occurred and the corrections that must be instituted going forward.  These were candid, forceful and clear discussions.

Furthermore, it is important to remember that this University, under the leadership of Chancellor Byyny, Dick Tharp and later Coach Barnett, did institute improvements to our policies, processes and procedures pertaining to recruiting, sexual conduct, alcohol usage and behavioral guidelines for athletes in 1998, 1999, 2002 and earlier this year.  We were not standing idly by on these matters, nor will we stand idly by after these changes are implemented. We are absolutely committed to monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of the changes we are making and our strategy going forward.

Regarding the Athletics Director position, its responsibilities are being dramatically restructured under our plan, as you have heard. 

The Chancellor and I have had very direct discussions with Athletics Director Tharp about the accountability and cultural issues that have arisen and his role in them. He is fully supportive of the changes we are making, and he has asked to help implement them.

Mr. Tharp has contributed more than 30 years of service to this university in leadership positions.  Could he, in some instances, have performed better regarding the administration of policies and procedures? Yes. When considered with the many innovations and reforms he has helped institute, were his shortcomings so egregious that they should result in his immediate dismissal?  I think not. Therefore, I have granted Mr. Tharp’s request to help implement our plan as Athletics Director under this new arrangement.

Regarding Coach Barnett, I am today returning him to active status.

He and I, also, have had serious, blunt discussions.  Did Coach Barnett say things that I and others have found offensive? The answer is yes, and for that he has paid a price.

But before making this decision, we received input from numerous people, including many student athletes -- past and present, male and female -- staff members and many others who have had interactions with Coach Barnett over the years.  Yes, Coach Barnett has his shortcomings. But within this group there was an overwhelming sense that he has been a great mentor regarding life lessons and ethics for hundreds of young men and women, that he is a tough disciplinarian, a developer of behavioral guidelines and a man who believes that a coach’s job is to prepare young men and women for their life ahead, not simply to excel in athletics.

Coach Barnett understands from me clearly what is required of him under this plan, and I expect him to fulfill those requirements.  He, too, fully supports the Action Plan.

Coach Barnett, I and the entire CU community owe our thanks to Interim Head Coach Brian Cabral. Coach Cabral stepped up at a very difficult time to lead the football program. He did so in an exemplary manner. He is an outstanding person and a very fine football coach, and we are deeply appreciative of his service to this University.

I want to comment on some of the criticism that has been aimed at Dick Byyny, Dick Tharp, and Gary Barnett. Some of it has been fair, and we have listened.  But some of it has been very ugly, personal and malicious.  Personnel decisions such as those we are addressing today should not be regarded as a blood sport. This is not a soap opera, or a cartoon, or a caricature. These are extremely serious matters that deeply affect the people involved and their families. 

Each of these men brings a unique set of abilities, talents, personalities and, yes, shortcomings to their jobs – just as we all do. They also bring an incredible level of dedication to their jobs and to this University.

These are not decisions that were made lightly. The basis for these decisions was not to conform to whatever was politically correct at the moment. These decisions were made in the context of the full contributions each individual has made to this University when measured against the performance problems that have occurred. It was important that Coach Barnett and Mr. Tharp embrace the changes we are making and commit to their implementation.

The Chancellor and I are not afraid to fire people. In fact, that might have been the easiest thing to do. Instead, we chose to pursue a plan of organizational restructuring that ensures a significant systemic and cultural change and does not rely solely on the personalities involved to bring about that change.  We believe this is the right thing to do and the best plan of action for the University of Colorado.  We accept the responsibility that goes with the decisions we have made.

As everyone is aware, there are still ongoing investigative processes – most notably the special prosecutor and grand jury.  I want to be clear that if new information emerges from those sources or others that causes us to review some of the decisions we are announcing today, we will do so.  But we must move ahead, and that is why the Chancellor and I decided to announce our plan today.

I want to close by saying this: In the final analysis, the buck stops with me.  I accept both my responsibility and my accountability. I pledge to oversee the implementation of this plan diligently and vigorously. I expect the same from the Chancellor in his role as head of the CU-Boulder campus.

I expect any instance of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, or alcohol or drug abuse to be reported immediately up through our chain of command to the proper authorities, and not to be handled solely within the Athletics Department.

I expect the athletics culture and football program to be respectful and supportive of women, students and employees alike.

I expect a culture that treats athletes as students first.

I expect a culture in which individuals and the University are fully aware of their respective responsibilities and behave accordingly.

I expect every coach and administrator to fulfill their responsibilities fully and immediately, and to accept accountability if they fail.

I expect every student, faculty member, administrator and staff member to help make sure we succeed.

Finally, I expect this to be a University of which every student, faculty member, alumnus and citizen of this state can be proud. 

This is a great University.  It has achieved wondrous things in the past.  And we have enormous achievements ahead of us. 

After months of intense scrutiny and investigation, it is time now to move forward and to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.