George Williams’ lawyer said coach was told to take 50% pay cut or leave St. Aug’s
Saint Augustine’s University wanted George Williams to continue his role leading the track and field program. So much so that the school offered him a lifetime appointment as Athletic Director Emeritus, but Williams turned it down, according to a statement released by the school Thursday morning.
Williams and his alma mater parted ways Wednesday, the same day his lawyer, Nicholas Sanservino Jr., issued a statement that said Williams had been “unlawfully terminated.” Later that day, David Bowser, who is the St. Aug’s football coach, was named interim athletic director.
Damion McCullers, general counsel for SAU, referred to the school’s statement when contacted by The News & Observer Thursday morning. School officials did not return multiple phone calls from The N&O on Wednesday.
In the statement, SAU said contract negotiations with Williams started in March. Because SAU is a private institution, contracts and salaries of staff and coaches are not public record and the school does not have to disclose that information.
On Thursday afternoon, Williams and Sanservino met with members of the media. Sanservino said the university asked Williams to take a 50% pay cut and abandon his role as athletic director and move to a newly created position as Athletic Director Emeritus. According to Sanservino, Williams had to accept the position by the end of the meeting or else he would be terminated.
“Coach was not in position to accept the position,” Sanservino said. “At which point he was handed a different letter in the meeting, terminating his employment.”
‘It’s a big disappointment’
Sanservino said they would not speculate why he was let go and that they have not been in contact with the school since yesterday. When asked if there had been contract negotiations since March, as the schools press release said. Sanservino told the press he would not call the back and forth negotiations.
“Have we reached out? Yes, trying to at least have a discussion,” Sanservino. “But at least from our point of view there’s been no meaningful dialogue initiated on their end. Quite frankly, someone of coach’s stature, locally and nationally, he deserves the decently of at least an explanation.”
Williams said he went into Wednesday’s meeting with the administration thinking they were going to discuss COVID-19 and plans for fall sports.
“It’s a big disappointment,” Williams said. “I can’t understand how people can even think of things like this. If it’s about the students, it’s about the students.”
Williams was asked if he felt his dismissal was personal.
“I think a lot of things are personal,” Williams said. “It can’t be job performance.”
Along with coaching track and field, Williams became the school’s athletic director in 1997. The school sent out a press release Wednesday afternoon, thanking Williams for his service.
“Coach Williams has been an integral part of the University for over 50 years,” interim President Dr. Maria Lumpkin said in the statement. “We appreciate selfless dedication as well as his willingness to to place Falcon Nation on a worldwide platform throughout his celebrated career.”
George Williams’ success at St. Aug’s
In the statement released this morning, SAU praised the success of the track and field program under Williams, but talked about other parts of the athletic department that need improvement.
“While SAU’s track program continues to perform at a championship level, other areas of SAU’s athletic programs need significant development and focus,” the school said in the release. “SAU administration determined that a more robust athletic program with an expanded capacity across multiple sports categories and attracting more regional and national events to our campus needs to be cultivated under new leadership initiatives.”
A 1965 graduate of SAU, Williams led his alma mater’s track and field program for 43 seasons. He won 39 Division II championships, the most of any active coach. In 2004, Williams coached the US Olympic team. Since returning to St. Aug’s in 1968, he has brought the school’s track and field and cross country programs to national prominence. During his tenure, Williams coached more than 40 Olympians.
Williams is a member of nine different Halls of Fame, including the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
Named track and field and cross country coach in 1976, Williams also served one season as the men’s basketball coach in 1998, leading the team to a division title. In 2011, SAU opened the George Williams Sports Complex, a 2,500-seat stadium on campus.
Williams told the media Thursday he wanted to coach two more seasons. There are athletes at St. Aug’s now that he wanted to prepare for the Olympics and after that, he was planning to retire. He also wanted to have a chance to win his 40th championship. Williams said the administration was aware of his plans to walk away in two years.
“I just want to get back work and take care of these student-athletes,” Williams said. “Finish this year and a half ... they (the administration) knew. I explained that to a lot of people, I’ve explained that to my student-athletes.”
In October, Williams was in a serious ATV accident while attending the World Championships in Doha, Qatar. He said he remembers having an out of body experience and thought he had died. On Thursday Williams told the media he felt like his life was spared for a reason.
“I think He brought me back to take care of what I need to take care of,” Williams said. “I just want to finish what I started and I think God brought me back here to finish what I started. I just don’t want to walk away or be shoved out. I want to get the job done and I’m really upset it had to go this way.”
This story was originally published July 2, 2020 at 12:10 PM with the headline "George Williams’ lawyer said coach was told to take 50% pay cut or leave St. Aug’s."
