FOX 4 WFTX - Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples News, WeatherFGCU Settles With Two Former Coaches

FGCU Settles With Two Former Coaches

The battle is over.  Florida Gulf Coast University settled with former head women's volleyball coach Jaye Flood and former head women's golf coach Holly Vaughn for $3.4 million.  Both sides joined for a press conference this morning to announce the settlement.

Earlier this year, the two former FGCU coaches filed a lawsuit against the school.  Flood and Vaughn claim the school retaliated against them for raising questions about sex discrimination within the athletic department.

The two will split the settlement.  Flood will receive almost $3 million, and Vaughn will receive just over $400,000.  Flood filed suit against the school in January of this year. Vaughn joined her  in May because she said this morning, "If it's a matter of style - swim with the current, and if it's a matter of principal - stand like a rock." Vaugh resigned in October of 2007 because she claims the department treated her unfairly for being a woman and gave her poor performance evaluations.

Flood claims the same, but stayed on after being placed on an administrative leave.  Flood was ultimately fired in January for among other things having "inappropriate relations" with a player.  She denies any misconduct and calls the accusations "part of a witch hunt that was launched on me after I was put on administrative leave." Floods firing came just three days after she filed suit against the school.

FGCU President Wilson Bradshaw spoke at the press conference, and said the fact that the school settled is not an admission of guilt.

"I think all parties agree that its in the best interest of all of us to come to a mutually agreed upon settlement," said Bradshaw.  The university will now hire an outside consulting group to  ensure the school complies with Title IX.  Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination within any education program that receives federal money.  Bradshaw announced, "FGCU will also conduct a campus attitude and expectations study to assess our employees' views and impressions of the University work environment."

CHRISTINA BAILEY, REPORTER
cbailey@fox4now.com