Large Sky faculty hires former SJSU official concerned in intercourse abuse scandal

Tuite labored at SJSU from April 2010 to September 2021. She was first employed because the deputy athletic director, a job she occupied till Might 2017, when she grew to become athletic director. She held that place till she stepped down in Might 2021 after a string of investigations into sexual abuse by one of many college’s athletics trainers.

Tuite and different SJSU directors have been accused of ignoring studies of misconduct by Scott Shaw, the previous director of sports activities drugs. Shaw was first accused in December 2009 of touching feminine athletes’ breasts and “their bikini line” when treating accidents, the college mentioned on a fact page concerning the controversy. SJSU directors say they have been first knowledgeable of those allegations by Spartans swimming and diving coach Sage Hopkins, after college students on Hopkins’ crew reported the alleged misconduct.

An preliminary investigation carried out by SJSU, which started in December 2009 and concluded in Might 2010, cleared Shaw of any wrongdoing and deemed his remedy technique as “a bona fide,” per the college truth web page. 

But following the conclusion of that investigation, Hopkins and different athletes continued to report incidents of sexual misconduct involving Shaw for nearly a decade.

In 2019, a 300-page file compiled by Hopkins about Shaw’s alleged abuse circulated to the Nationwide Collegiate Athletic Affiliation and Mountain West Convention, elevating extra issues concerning Shaw and the unique 2009 investigation, in accordance with the SJSU truth web page. 

The file prompted then-SJSU President Mary Papazian to provoke an exterior investigation into Shaw’s conduct and SJSU’s dealing with of the preliminary probe in 2009. That exterior investigation discovered that the allegations of Shaw’s sexual misconduct have been substantiated in accordance with the investigation summary.

Tuite responded to the findings in a Might 2021 statement put out by SJSU. “As a frontrunner, I’m deeply sorry our student-athletes have been impacted by Scott Shaw. I’ll proceed to completely cooperate with any and all investigations. My key goal right here is to let our group heal,” she mentioned. 

The U.S. Division of Justice launched its personal investigation in 2020 concerning Shaw’s alleged sexual misconduct and the college’s dealing with of it.

In a press release on Sept. 21, 2021, saying its findings, the DOJ stated it had concluded that SJSU failed to reply adequately for “greater than a decade” to studies of sexual harassment and that the college retaliated in opposition to two workers who had alerted officers. 

Tuite herself was straight named in three wrongful termination and retaliation lawsuits, together with one filed by Hopkins in April 2021, during which she was accused of ignoring studies of continued sexual misconduct within the athletic division and retaliating in opposition to whistleblowers, the Mercury Information reported. In his lawsuit, Hopkins alleged that Tuite had discredited his issues about Shaw and retaliated in opposition to him and different workers.

Tuite was demoted from her athletic director function amid widespread criticism and reassigned to a newly created fundraising place in Might 2021. She introduced her resignation from SJSU altogether in an e-mail to some workers members within the athletic division Aug. 29, 2021, however the college didn’t make an announcement, the Mercury Information beforehand reported.

Southern Utah College Athletic Director Doug Knuth instructed SFGATE that the division is conscious of Tuite’s historical past at SJSU however is worked up about her rent.

“SUU is conscious of the scenario at San Jose State and based mostly on an intensive evaluate, reference checks and commonplace hiring protocols, the college is assured in welcoming Marie to Thunderbird Athletics,” he mentioned in an emailed assertion.

In response to the information of Tuite’s new function, Hopkins instructed SFGATE in an emailed assertion that “listening to this information and studying SUU’s feedback solely makes me extra grateful for the competence and professionalism of our present management at SJSU.” Michelle Smith McDonald, SJSU’s senior director of media relations, instructed SFGATE that the varsity doesn’t have a press release concerning Tuite’s new job.

Reached for remark Wednesday, Tuite instructed SFGATE that she is concentrated on her new function. 

“I’m wanting ahead to after I can inform the entire story concerning the tragic scenario at SJSU. Now shouldn’t be the time,” Tuite mentioned. “I’m shifting forward with a brand new alternative, and that’s the place my focus is.”