Maryland Governor Larry Hogan called on the University System of Maryland Board of Regents to reconsider its decision to retain football coach DJ Durkin and Athletic Director Damon Evans in a statement released Wednesday.
“I am deeply troubled by the lack of transparency from the Board of Regents, and deeply concerned about how they could have possibly arrived at the decisions announced yesterday,” Hogan’s statement read. “I share the concerns of many Marylanders and believe very strongly that more must be done to restore the public trust. I am calling on both the University System of Maryland Board of Regents and President Wallace Loh to reconsider their decisions and to schedule a public hearing to address these issues in an open and transparent manner.”
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“While the university system is required by law to operate independent of political influence, and as such no governor has the ability to hire or fire any university personnel or members of the Board of Regents, I can and will demand that the university is held accountable for making the reforms they have pledged to put in place with the full transparency that the students, parents, and faculty expect and deserve,” Hogan’s statement continued. “The University System of Maryland has let down the University of Maryland community and the citizens of Maryland, and now is the time to fix it.”
Hogan’s words Wednesday were harsher than his original statement issued following the board’s press conference. Tuesday, the Governor sounded skeptical of the board’s conclusions but willing to accept them, stressing instead the need to hold them and the university accountable to making the reforms it pledged to undertake.
“University leadership still faces the considerable challenge of restoring the trust of students, families, and faculty, and proving that there is and will be accountability for any actions that adversely impact student welfare and the standing of our flagship university,” Hogan’s statement Tuesday read. “The addition of an oversight board seems to be a positive step, but many will understandably question whether enough has been done to address the serious concerns that exist among many in the College Park community - I am one of them.”
Hogan’s campaign commented on the differences in statements, saying that the statement issued on Tuesday was an immediate response to the decision announced by the University. The recent statement issued today was called to bring further attention to the investigation in hopes that the board will review their findings and reconsider their decision.
