'Voice of the Bobcats' resigned amidst sexual harassment investigation

[PlayerRep]

I don't understand what jurisdiction that MSU Title IX department has over this situation. Unless there is some special provision in the Leerfield contract with MSU that requires Leerfield abide by and be governed by MSU's sexual harassment policies, I don't get the connection. From what I read, the guy worked for Leerfield, not MSU.

I can't imagine, for example, that every third party contractor that works with MSU--say a contruction company building a building, a catering company that supplies MSU events including at say the stadium during games, an accounting firm auditing MSU, a company providing janitorial services--is subject to the MSU Title IX policy. It just seems odd that MSU would have jurisdiction to start a proceeding regarding a construction worker, caterer, janitor, who sexually harasses a non-MSU employee, like a Bozeman Chronicle or Missoulian reporter.

The stuff doesn't appear to have occurred on the MSU campus, not that that would be necessary for jurisdiction if this involved a student or professor.

Some federal laws and contracts require compliance with a bunch of federal laws. However, even if something like that, I'm not aware that that would allow a federal agency to start an agency sexual harassment proceeding against an employee of a contractor.

There must be some law or contract provision that I'm not aware of.

Anyone have any ideas on this?

 

[Silvertip]

Too bad Amie Just couldn't have found a healthier paper than the Times Picayune. Since 2012 New Orleans has been served by a paper that prints only three days a week after cutting staff citing costs most likely due to falling circulation.

 

[HookedonGriz]

I don't understand what jurisdiction that MSU Title IX department has over this situation. Unless there is some special provision in the Leerfield contract with MSU that requires Leerfield abide by and be governed by MSU's sexual harassment policies, I don't get the connection. From what I read, the guy worked for Leerfield, not MSU.

I can't imagine, for example, that every third party contractor that works with MSU--say a contruction company building a building, a catering company that supplies MSU events including at say the stadium during games, an accounting firm auditing MSU, a company providing janitorial services--is subject to the MSU Title IX policy. It just seems odd that MSU would have jurisdiction to start a proceeding regarding a construction worker, caterer, janitor, who sexually harasses a non-MSU employee, like a Bozeman Chronicle or Missoulian reporter.

The stuff doesn't appear to have occurred on the MSU campus, not that that would be necessary for jurisdiction if this involved a student or professor.

Some federal laws and contracts require compliance with a bunch of federal laws. However, even if something like that, I'm not aware that that would allow a federal agency to start an agency sexual harassment proceeding against an employee of a contractor.

There must be some law or contract provision that I'm not aware of.

Anyone have any ideas on this?

No idea but perhaps the title “voice of the Cats” carries more weight than other third party employees.

 

[PlayerRep]

Wait for it Everett...

I’m sure PR will let you know he had dinner with
somebody very important and has a great deal of money and knows more than you do...Any minute now...

#doesntrepplayers

This is the best I can do on short notice.

I met Gil Brandt and his family at dinner at Big Sky earlier this week. Had dinner with his son and his fiance the next night. I had a Dartmouth football polo on. Brandt said that the first player he drafted/signed when he became head of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys in 1960, was Jake Crouthamel of Dartmouth. Jake was my db coach and DC in college, and then our head coach my senior year. Jake won 3 Ivy championships, and then went to be the AD at Syracuse for about 25 years, and an ncaa hoops selector.

I knew Brandt had spent alot of time at Big Sky over the years, had built a house there in the early days, and had known my uncle who was an early property owner at Big Sky, so I asked him how he had become aware of Big Sky. He said Chet Huntley had suggested that he check it out.

How did I do? With more notice, I can probably do better.

 

[Ursa Major]

Too bad Amie Just couldn't have found a healthier paper than the Times Picayune. Since 2012 New Orleans has been served by a paper that prints only three days a week after cutting staff citing costs most likely due to falling circulation.

:lol: :clap:

 

[PlayerRep]

Too bad Amie Just couldn't have found a healthier paper than the Times Picayune. Since 2012 New Orleans has been served by a paper that prints only three days a week after cutting staff citing costs most likely due to falling circulation.

:lol: :clap:

They hired her due to her experience working for a barely making it newspaper in Missoula. As Everett noted, she was "extremely talented" in that regard.

 

[PlayerRep]

The line from the article made me chuckle:

"Because of ethical conflicts of interest, staff at The Missoulian asked colleagues at The Billings Gazette and 406mtsports.com to cover this story."

Wow, having the reporters at a sister paper really resolves any conflict. That's a worse joke than some of mine.

 

[info]

The line from the article made me chuckle:

"Because of ethical conflicts of interest, staff at The Missoulian asked colleagues at The Billings Gazette and 406mtsports.com to cover this story."

Wow, having the reporters at a sister paper really resolves any conflict. That's a worse joke than some of mine.

And coincidentally, they all work for Lee newspapers. Mmm . No conflict of interest there.

 

[Bronco]

My generation was always told to don't put it in writing.

The Social media generation puts everything in writing. Sure makes any investigation easier.

 

[PlayerRep]

My generation was always told to don't put it in writing.

The Social media generation puts everything in writing. Sure makes any investigation easier.

Glad I don't know how to text, take photos or twitter.

 

[EverettGriz]

Unless there is some special provision in the Leerfield contract with MSU that requires Leerfield abide by and be governed by MSU's sexual harassment policies, I don't get the connection.

Unless msu had the worst attorney and HR leadership in the country, I can assure you their contract with Learfield states that Learfield's employees who work for msu -- particularly those who publicly represent the university -- must comply with university policies.

 

[PlayerRep]

Unless there is some special provision in the Leerfield contract with MSU that requires Leerfield abide by and be governed by MSU's sexual harassment policies, I don't get the connection.

Unless msu had the worst attorney and HR leadership in the country, I can assure you their contract with Learfield states that Learfield's employees who work for msu -- particularly those who publicly represent the university -- must comply with university policies.

Even if that is true, that doesn't mean that the MSU Title IX department would have the jurisdiction to start a proceeding involving a Leerfield employee, let alone a Leerfield employee and a reporter who doesn't go to school at MSU or work for MSU.

Also, while I don't know the Leerfield/MSU relationship, I doubt that a Leerfield employee "works for" MSU. One of the reasons for having contractual relationships like this is so that the contractor's employees don't work for MSU. I can't imagine that MSU is paying the employee directly, or withholdng employment taxes.

 

[Ursa Major]

Too bad Amie Just couldn't have found a healthier paper than the Times Picayune. Since 2012 New Orleans has been served by a paper that prints only three days a week after cutting staff citing costs most likely due to falling circulation.

:lol: :clap:

My apologies to Amie, the Times Picayune and the people of Louisiana. My post was mistakenly placed,

Side question: What is the literacy rate in Louisiana?

Again, my apologies to Amie, the Times Picayune and the people of the great state of Louisiana. :thumb:

 

[Ursa Major]

I don't understand what jurisdiction that MSU Title IX department has over this situation. Unless there is some special provision in the Leerfield contract with MSU that requires Leerfield abide by and be governed by MSU's sexual harassment policies, I don't get the connection. From what I read, the guy worked for Leerfield, not MSU.

I can't imagine, for example, that every third party contractor that works with MSU--say a contruction company building a building, a catering company that supplies MSU events including at say the stadium during games, an accounting firm auditing MSU, a company providing janitorial services--is subject to the MSU Title IX policy. It just seems odd that MSU would have jurisdiction to start a proceeding regarding a construction worker, caterer, janitor, who sexually harasses a non-MSU employee, like a Bozeman Chronicle or Missoulian reporter.

The stuff doesn't appear to have occurred on the MSU campus, not that that would be necessary for jurisdiction if this involved a student or professor.

Some federal laws and contracts require compliance with a bunch of federal laws. However, even if something like that, I'm not aware that that would allow a federal agency to start an agency sexual harassment proceeding against an employee of a contractor.

There must be some law or contract provision that I'm not aware of.

Anyone have any ideas on this?

No idea but perhaps the title “voice of the Cats” carries more weight than other third party employees.

:lol: :clap:

 

[Spanky2]

Wait for it Everett...

I’m sure PR will let you know he had dinner with
somebody very important and has a great deal of money and knows more than you do...Any minute now...

#doesntrepplayers

This is the best I can do on short notice.

I met Gil Brandt and his family at dinner at Big Sky earlier this week. Had dinner with his son and his fiance the next night. I had a Dartmouth football polo on. Brandt said that the first player he drafted/signed when he became head of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys in 1960, was Jake Crouthamel of Dartmouth. Jake was my db coach and DC in college, and then our head coach my senior year. Jake won 3 Ivy championships, and then went to be the AD at Syracuse for about 25 years, and an ncaa hoops selector.

I knew Brandt had spent alot of time at Big Sky over the years, had built a house there in the early days, and had known my uncle who was an early property owner at Big Sky, so I asked him how he had become aware of Big Sky. He said Chet Huntley had suggested that he check it out.

How did I do? With more notice, I can probably do better.

You did well!

 

[PlayerRep]

As I said in my initial post, this may depend on the exact contractual relationship with Learfield and MSU. I know that there is usually a specific company involved, called Grizzly Sports Properties at UM. Don't know who exactly owns that, but believe Learfield runs it assume Learfield owns it.

Couldn't find a contract in a quick Google search. Found this description in a UNLV press release: "Learfield will oversee UNLV’s TV and radio broadcasts, coaches’ shows, digital platform and other similar areas ...."

Seem to recall this Learfield terminated Mick Holien, as opposed to UM. Again, don't really know.

Everett, if your company had a contract with the Univ of Wash, would your company agree to abide by all of the policies of UW? Would your company agree that a Title IX situation involving one of your company's employees would be subject to the jurisdiction of the UW Title IX department? Or even that a Title IX situation, involving one of your company's employees involved in the UW work, but in a situation involving a complete third party, like the Seattle Times, would be subject to the jurisdiction of a UW Title IX proceeding.

Everett, note that Learfield has lawyers too. Not just MSU.

Isn't the main penalty of those school Title IX proceedings to kick the student out of school or fire the school employee? There's no fine or other penalty.

What is MSU going to do with the former announcer? Fire him? Don't think he works for them. He already has resigned from Learfield. They can't fine him. It isn't a criminal proceeding. The reporter was never employed by MSU.

 

[EverettGriz]

I think you’re asking the question backward, PR. It doesn’t really matter what the vendor’s company position is. If they desire the contract and the contract stipulates that vendors adhere to msu’s Policies, then that’s the way the contract is signed.

So I’ll answer your question this way: My Firm hires vendors. Everyone of them signs a contract that they will abide by my Firm’s policies. In addition, every contract employee at those vendors signs a disclosure statement every year that they understand our Firm’s policies and that they are in full compliance.

 

[PlayerRep]

I think you’re asking the question backward, PR. It doesn’t really matter what the vendor’s company position is. If they desire the contract and the contract stipulates that vendors adhere to msu’s Policies, then that’s the way the contract is signed.

So I’ll answer your question this way: My Firm hires vendors. Everyone of them signs a contract that they will abide by my Firm’s policies. In addition, every contract employee at those vendors signs a disclosure statement every year that they understand our Firm’s policies and that they are in full compliance.

Learfield isn't a vendor, in my view. To me, a vendor is a supplier. Learfield seems like a marketing partner with MSU.

Show us the wording of your company's contact in which vendors agree to abide by your company's policies.

Again, you are missing the main point. The point is not following policies, it is whether the MSU Title IX office has jurisdiction over the employees of Learfield (assuming the reporter was in fact an employee of Leerfield).

 

[IdaGriz01]

I think you’re asking the question backward, PR. It doesn’t really matter what the vendor’s company position is. If they desire the contract and the contract stipulates that vendors adhere to msu’s Policies, then that’s the way the contract is signed.

So I’ll answer your question this way: My Firm hires vendors. Everyone of them signs a contract that they will abide by my Firm’s policies. In addition, every contract employee at those vendors signs a disclosure statement every year that they understand our Firm’s policies and that they are in full compliance.

I'm no lawyer, but I dealt with them for decades in my "day job" and have in-laws who are lawyers (one was a judge, now retired, whom every defense attorney shopped around to avoid). For us, it worked two ways: We operated under a contract with the Federal government and agreed to comply with their policies (with all that that implies). In turn, we would subcontract with third parties for certain services (or goods, but that's probably not relevant here).

I think the point that PR (and others) is trying to make is that, when a subcontractor employee agreed to "comply with" our policies, that did not mean that we, the contract holder, had any right to go after that individual for his/her transgression. Keep in mind that, because of the Federal connection, we had some quite punitive contracts. Depending upon the wording of the contract, the subcontractor might lose the contract, pay fines, etc. But it was up to them to punish the transgressor (usually meaning they got fired). Here where neither individual involved is an employee of the "complainant," there is no way they have legal jurisdiction. To me, this is a prime example of the arrogance of the academic world, which considers itself a special, protected class.

 

[PlayerRep]

Thsis is what is said in the Gazette/Missoulian article:

"Though “The Voice of the Bobcats,” Sanderson technically was employed by Learfield Bobcat Sports Properties, which distributed the release announcing the resignation. MSU has a third-party agreement with Learfield for its play-by-play announcer."

“If it’s somebody under my supervision in the athletic department, if do we get information like this, we are as supervisors and directors of an area responsible for getting it to the right channels.”

"“The question you’re asking is one I can’t answer because, one, I can’t speak to a specific case, and two, the case you’re asking about is not finalized, and three, it’s entirely speculative because he no longer works here, and four, the majority of his employment was with Learfield,” Ellig said.

Ellig said that when MSU receives a complaint under Title IX and it determines that it has jurisdiction, “its obligation is to make sure that harassment ceases and doesn’t continue.”

“The remedies can be quite a range, depending on the circumstances,” he added. “They can go from the extreme of basically dismissing an employee to other things that might involve training, or making sure that the two parties are separated. So there’s not a one-size-fits-all conclusion to all these kinds of cases.”

Ellig also said that when MSU begins any investigation, it continues until completion regardless of whether the person or persons involved remain connected to the university.

This is what I round in another out of state article. Note the part-time reference. Wonder why the Gazette articles doesn't say that?

"Sanderson had been in his position since 2014 as a part-time employee of the university and a full-time employee of Learfield Sports. The university has jurisdiction to investigate Sanderson because of his employment and because he was "the public face for MSU Athletics," the report said.

If the announcer was an employee of MSU (not Learfield) during the time in question, then I would understand MSU's jurisdiction. Sounds a bit iffy, tho. I also understand how MSU could tell Learfield to fire him. The Title IX proceeding still is a mystery.