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American Morning
Interview with University of Colorado President Elizabeth Hoffman
Aired February 20, 2004 - 07:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A member of the University Colorado Board of Regents says -- quote -- "the whole university is now shaken." This comment comes as a new rape allegation is being leveled against a CU football player, the sixth such charge that has been made to date.
The latest incident involves an August 2002 event in which a woman alleges she was sodomized after meeting two players at a bar. Police say DNA tests will out one of the players, but apparently not the other.
The scandal gained momentum this week when former placekicker Katie Hnida alleged that she was raped by a teammate. She also said she was verbally abused, harassed and molested by other players.
Comments made about Hnida's ability have landed the football coach, Gary Barnett, on paid administrative lead.
Last night, in an exclusive interview with CNN's Larry King, Barnett was asked what he thought went wrong with his program.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARY BARNETT, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: I don't know that at this point in time you can say anything has gone wrong. I think that there are a lot of allegations at this date. There is yet to be anything proven. There is yet to be any charges brought. I just know that the way that it's coming across nationally, I just don't think that's who I am.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Barnett also says he wants to stay at Colorado and that he expected to be reinstated. The school says it plans to name an interim coach, possibly as early as today.
Earlier this morning, I talked with university President Elizabeth Hoffman, back on our program today. I asked her about the status of the investigation into the latest rape allegation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH HOFFMAN, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: That is under investigation. My understanding was that the first football player that she had identified as a possible suspect was actually exonerated by the DNA tests, and they're conducting tests on another individual, whom I'm not even sure is a football player.
HEMMER: So, are you suggesting this claim will go without being found, without the evidence there?
HOFFMAN: I don't know what will happen. They have taken some more DNA, and they're going to be analyzing it. And I think we will have results in some period of time. But at this point in time, I think a great deal is being made of that, when actually the initial football player whom she identified was exonerated.
HEMMER: Last night, Gary Barnett, the coach, told Larry King he expected to be reinstated. Will he?
HOFFMAN: I cannot tell you at this point in time. We need to wait for the independent investigating team to complete their work. We need to look at the culture of the football program, the culture of the athletic department. We need to know whether there is a culture that promotes inappropriate relationships with women. We need to know whether there's a culture that promotes excessive drinking, the kinds of allegations we have seen in the last couple of years.
If we find that that is not a pervasive culture in the football program, in the athletic department, is perhaps isolated to a few individuals, then I believe he will be exonerated and he will be reinstated.
HEMMER: It sounds to me like you're reserving judgment at this point.
HOFFMAN: I absolutely am. That's why I put him on administrative leave. I really need to look at the program, and I was very concerned about the statements that he made, in particular with regard to Katie Hnida, but also the statements that were out -- the alleged statements in the police report with regard to the woman who alleged that she had been raped by a football player.
HEMMER: Listening to your answer, President Hoffman, it appears that Gary Barnett may continue coaching at your school. Is that right?
HOFFMAN: Yes, he may continue coaching. That is correct. We have reserved judgment.
HEMMER: When players offer their public support, as they did yesterday, does that affect your decision?
HOFFMAN: Of course it does. I mean, I think it's important that the players support the coach, but I think it's very important to see how the coach has behaved in the larger context of the culture of the football program. And that's really what we're looking at right now -- the entire culture, and not just of the football program, the culture of the entire school.
I mean, what is coming out as a result of these allegations of the lawsuit that we are dealing with is that we are dealing with a culture that emphasizes excessive use of alcohol, getting drunk on a regular basis as part of the fun of being at college. And I think much more so certainly than I remember in college and that you probably remember in college, although you are younger than I am. But the excessive use of alcohol followed by doing very irresponsible and dangerous things that you may not even remember you have done, but you laugh about later on.
I think we need to educate our students about how important it is to make responsible decisions -- not just football players, but all of our students -- for life. That's probably the most important thing we can teach them for life right now.
HEMMER: Do you admit that there is a problem at your school at the University of Colorado?
HOFFMAN: I believe there is a nationwide problem. I don't think it's just at the University of Colorado. I think all across this country young people at colleges and universities emphasize the excessive use of alcohol to a far greater extent than is appropriate in preparing themselves for life.
HEMMER: Yes. One final question here. When will you make a decision on Gary Barnett?
HOFFMAN: The independent panel completes its work on April 30, although they may ask for an extension. But I will ask for some kind of report by April 30, so that I can make a decision in time for the coach to either resume his activities and prepare the team for next fall, or so that we can look for another coach.
HEMMER: And just to be clear, he will stay on paid administrative leave until that point?
HOFFMAN: That is correct.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Elizabeth Hoffman from earlier today.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Hoffman>
Aired February 20, 2004 - 07:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A member of the University Colorado Board of Regents says -- quote -- "the whole university is now shaken." This comment comes as a new rape allegation is being leveled against a CU football player, the sixth such charge that has been made to date.
The latest incident involves an August 2002 event in which a woman alleges she was sodomized after meeting two players at a bar. Police say DNA tests will out one of the players, but apparently not the other.
The scandal gained momentum this week when former placekicker Katie Hnida alleged that she was raped by a teammate. She also said she was verbally abused, harassed and molested by other players.
Comments made about Hnida's ability have landed the football coach, Gary Barnett, on paid administrative lead.
Last night, in an exclusive interview with CNN's Larry King, Barnett was asked what he thought went wrong with his program.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARY BARNETT, HEAD FOOTBALL COACH, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: I don't know that at this point in time you can say anything has gone wrong. I think that there are a lot of allegations at this date. There is yet to be anything proven. There is yet to be any charges brought. I just know that the way that it's coming across nationally, I just don't think that's who I am.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Barnett also says he wants to stay at Colorado and that he expected to be reinstated. The school says it plans to name an interim coach, possibly as early as today.
Earlier this morning, I talked with university President Elizabeth Hoffman, back on our program today. I asked her about the status of the investigation into the latest rape allegation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH HOFFMAN, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: That is under investigation. My understanding was that the first football player that she had identified as a possible suspect was actually exonerated by the DNA tests, and they're conducting tests on another individual, whom I'm not even sure is a football player.
HEMMER: So, are you suggesting this claim will go without being found, without the evidence there?
HOFFMAN: I don't know what will happen. They have taken some more DNA, and they're going to be analyzing it. And I think we will have results in some period of time. But at this point in time, I think a great deal is being made of that, when actually the initial football player whom she identified was exonerated.
HEMMER: Last night, Gary Barnett, the coach, told Larry King he expected to be reinstated. Will he?
HOFFMAN: I cannot tell you at this point in time. We need to wait for the independent investigating team to complete their work. We need to look at the culture of the football program, the culture of the athletic department. We need to know whether there is a culture that promotes inappropriate relationships with women. We need to know whether there's a culture that promotes excessive drinking, the kinds of allegations we have seen in the last couple of years.
If we find that that is not a pervasive culture in the football program, in the athletic department, is perhaps isolated to a few individuals, then I believe he will be exonerated and he will be reinstated.
HEMMER: It sounds to me like you're reserving judgment at this point.
HOFFMAN: I absolutely am. That's why I put him on administrative leave. I really need to look at the program, and I was very concerned about the statements that he made, in particular with regard to Katie Hnida, but also the statements that were out -- the alleged statements in the police report with regard to the woman who alleged that she had been raped by a football player.
HEMMER: Listening to your answer, President Hoffman, it appears that Gary Barnett may continue coaching at your school. Is that right?
HOFFMAN: Yes, he may continue coaching. That is correct. We have reserved judgment.
HEMMER: When players offer their public support, as they did yesterday, does that affect your decision?
HOFFMAN: Of course it does. I mean, I think it's important that the players support the coach, but I think it's very important to see how the coach has behaved in the larger context of the culture of the football program. And that's really what we're looking at right now -- the entire culture, and not just of the football program, the culture of the entire school.
I mean, what is coming out as a result of these allegations of the lawsuit that we are dealing with is that we are dealing with a culture that emphasizes excessive use of alcohol, getting drunk on a regular basis as part of the fun of being at college. And I think much more so certainly than I remember in college and that you probably remember in college, although you are younger than I am. But the excessive use of alcohol followed by doing very irresponsible and dangerous things that you may not even remember you have done, but you laugh about later on.
I think we need to educate our students about how important it is to make responsible decisions -- not just football players, but all of our students -- for life. That's probably the most important thing we can teach them for life right now.
HEMMER: Do you admit that there is a problem at your school at the University of Colorado?
HOFFMAN: I believe there is a nationwide problem. I don't think it's just at the University of Colorado. I think all across this country young people at colleges and universities emphasize the excessive use of alcohol to a far greater extent than is appropriate in preparing themselves for life.
HEMMER: Yes. One final question here. When will you make a decision on Gary Barnett?
HOFFMAN: The independent panel completes its work on April 30, although they may ask for an extension. But I will ask for some kind of report by April 30, so that I can make a decision in time for the coach to either resume his activities and prepare the team for next fall, or so that we can look for another coach.
HEMMER: And just to be clear, he will stay on paid administrative leave until that point?
HOFFMAN: That is correct.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Elizabeth Hoffman from earlier today.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Hoffman>
