Death at N.C. A&T shifts culture : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

GREENSBORO — A year removed from a student death on its track, N.C. A&T is updating its athletics policies and boosting its oversight of coaches and efforts to keep athletes safe, even as it prepares for possible litigation after the death of Jospin “Andre” Milandu.

If a lawsuit against the school or its former employees is filed, it could cost the state up to $10 million — just one potential cost of Milandu’s death on Aug. 19, 2010.

“Well-meaning, good-intentioned people in the past have made decisions based on other things than health and safety of the athletes,” said Earl Hilton, athletics director at A&T. “That’s not a shift in perspective that I think is helpful.”

Meanwhile, the family struggles with the emotional cost of losing a son.

“In the past, they thought they would be better a year later,” said the family’s attorney, Frank Johns. “They are struggling with this loss.”

Johns spoke on behalf of family members, who did not want to comment.

Hilton said he is reviewing athletics department procedures with other high-level A&T staff members to avoid preventable deaths. He’s putting more staff and money toward athlete safety.

The drafts of the handbook governing athletics are preliminary, he said, but the next revision will be completed toward the end of the calendar year and will be “a smaller handbook with stiffer penalties.”

Milandu, 20, of Knightdale died from complications from sickle cell trait. He had no physical on file with the athletics department when he collapsed during a track and field tryout.

His condition could have been found by an NCAA-required test. But that test wasn’t carried out at the order of a former athletics department associate director who wanted to save the department money.

The tryout broke an NCAA rule and wasn’t authorized by the athletics department. No trainer was present because the school didn’t know about the tryout.

The death cost five athletics staff members their jobs. The school has spent about $70,000 in related expenses, such as salary payouts and searching for new employees.

Changes are being written into athletics department policies, Hilton said. Although that process isn’t complete, the changes include:

* The way physicals for students trying out for teams are handled. Previously, a student who wanted to try out went to the coach to get paperwork, which then went to athletics training staff and then to the compliance office. “There was no centralized file that had everything,” Hilton said. Now, physicals are handled by the compliance office.

* Addition of another full-time position to the compliance office. “Anecdotally, you can’t do it with one person,” Hilton said. Now, A&T has two full-time compliance employees and one graduate assistant. After Darryl Hills was fired as compliance director, A&T conducted a national search and replaced him with Katreshia Louis-Verrett, an assistant director at a larger Division I program at Georgia Tech, at a salary that is $30,000 more than what Hills was paid.

* Another position is open on the athletic training staff, Hilton said, and one more could be added to increase the staff to seven people.

* A third coach was added to the track and field staff. The track and field budget grew by nearly $40,000, as well, linked primarily to the added coaching job.

* The athletics department is putting greater administrative oversight on coaches, Hilton said.

“We had a trainer in place that could have overseen the tryout,” Hilton said of the day Milandu died, “but they weren’t advised that it was going on. And that’s about monitoring.”

Since his death, the school also has dealt with a psychological toll for students and staff. About 100 students, faculty and staff sought counseling with the school’s therapists.

If Milandu’s family decides to sue, the school’s insurance could cover it for $10 million, with the first million paid from A&T’s reserve fund. The school spoke with attorneys for the Milandu family, but prelitigation talks haven’t been scheduled.

After Milandu’s death, the athletics director, an associate athletics director, a trainer and an NCAA compliance officer resigned or were fired by the school. The former track and field coach, Roy Thompson, retired in December after coaching 26 years at A&T.

Hilton said the department has undergone a cultural shift since Milandu’s death.

“The key difference is that we made it clear that money’s not an issue,” Hilton said.

“If we end up spending more money, we will. That’s the primary cultural shift.

“The primary consideration is health and safety,” Hilton said.

“Let me worry about how to pay for it.”

Contact Gerald Witt at 373-7008 or gerald.witt@news-record.com

disappointedaggie

August 19, 2011 - 6:22 am EDT

"The tryout broke an NCAA rule and wasn’t authorized by the athletics department. No trainer was present because the school didn’t know about the tryout."

As an attorney myself, it amazes me over and over again how a the N&R and GW insults our intelligence.

My reason for saying is that months ago the newspaper printed their secret weapon: The email sent to Coach Thompson and other staff a day before the tryouts from the TRAINER to not sent student for sickle cell testing during tryouts...so common sense has me wondering: How can GW, N&R, A&T continously say that the university and the trainer didnt know about the tryout when they sent an email to the Coach holding the tryouts a day before the tryouts from the TRAINER?? That makes absolutely no sense.

I understand the need to sell newspapers as the economy is not getting any better and I have already canceled by subscription of the N&R and I know others have as well, but it just puzzles me how on one hand, how the writer and paper want to "expose" those involved but they fail over and over again to state the facts. You cant have it both ways, you cant expose the email but then come back and say that the university didnt know anything. That is just a plain insult of the people's common sense.

So as an attorney Im asked to to analyze things everyday and this is what puzzles me about this article and others written by GW on this matter: The facts he states to be true, dont add up!

1. Is there any evidence that the NCAA found that the track tryout was a violation? Was the university sanctioned? Is there a pending NCAA investigation? Where did that information come from? There must be something to substiantiate these facts and surely the N&R is smarter than to take the word of A&T, the people who tried to cover up the incident in the first place.

2. Has anyone asked the university why the keep claiming that they didnt know about the track tryout when their administrative staff and trainer sent an email the day before the tryout with instructions for students attending the tryout? If they didnt know about the tryouts, then why did they send Coach Thompson the email? Why would you send someone an email about tryouts if you didnt know they were having tryouts? Was it just by mistake? Was it sent to all coaches or just the one's who held tryouts? If it was sent to the coaches who just held tryouts, then why was Coach Thompson added to the email if once again, they didnt know he was holding tryouts?

3. If none of those questions have been asked, then where did Gerald Whitt get the all illusive email in the first place? A records search? somewhere else? If it was through a records search, why did the N&R and GW wait until 2011 to expose the email?

4. Did the N&R and GW review the university's athletic manual, if so, is there a section in there about tryouts? If so, does it state how coaches are to notify the univeristy of tryouts? Does it state that trainers are required to be present at tryouts?

5. Has anyone asked the university what was its customary procedure on tryouts? written or verbal? do coaches just hold tryouts and its known that they do every year or are they required to submit forms and calendars, memos, etc..

6. Why was Mr. Milandu allowed to enter the A&T as a Freshmen without a physical? Isnt it required by the University or the State of NC, that all incoming Freshmen students to have a physical on file? Did the university violate its own policy? Mr. Milandu was a Sophmore, why didnt the student health center have a physical on file for him? Who's responsibility is it to maintain the physicals? The coaches? the student health center? the AD? trainer?

I ask all of these questions because, they have never been answered and I dont see how a newspaper can continue to print something as fact when indeed there are serious questions about the veracity of what they called "facts."

Im pretty sure that my comments will ruffle some feathers and I will be harassed or emailed or blocked, but Im sorry as one of the few intelligent life forms that inhabitat this city, I just cant stand it anymore, the hypocrisy of my former alma mater and N&R is too much to bear at times and I dont understand why more people arent calling them out.I always question things that dont make sense and Im tired of my intelligence being insulted as if I cant form a complete thought to say, "hey, something isnt right here."

I dont think that the N&R, GW and A&T have the right to insult people's intelligence and try to the pull the wool over our eyes with smoke screens, "lets give them a little, but we are still going to deny we knew anything." If that is the case, if A&T didnt know anything, if they had the adequate training staff and they followed all the rules and it was all on one rogue coach who did what he wanted, then he's no longer working there, then what's the need for change? They have a new track coach, wouldnt it just be simple to tell him, "Hey dont try to be the Jim Tressel of Greensboro, lets us know everything that your doing!" and problem solved? If what A&T, N&R, and GW want us to believe is true, then there is no need for cultural change, because it wasnt the cultural, it was all on one person, so to speak. He bamboozled the entire athletic staff and held tryouts right under those noses, they didnt have a clue? Not the ADs, not the trainer, no one! Right? Oh I know!! Coach Thompson hacked into the trainer's email sent an email on August 18, 2010 from the trainer to make it look like they knew he had tryouts...my isnt he sneaky! and he has a time machine too!

If, the university did everything right and hail hail Chancellor Martin for getting rid of those who held unauthorized track tryouts for 30 years without anyone knowing or seeing or hearing about them even though he was sent an email the day before the tryouts with instructions about the tryouts, but that's not the point, it was all him and he did it and we got rid of him..problem solved right?..wow..If that is what we are meant to believe, right?

On a side note, I do know of many sucessful cases aganist newspapers when they have printed things that are not facts and are more so assumptions, without clarifying so. The Yahoo Sports article on Miami is a great sports article that shows how due dilligence is done, they actually checked facts, looked at documents and was honest about discrepancies in the statements made in relation to the story. Courts have found that some newspapers have breached their duty to correctly state the facts or do some type of due diligence other than taking someone's word for it. Meaning that they published something they knew was false or should have known was false. I wonder what if the university would doctor up some documents and come to N&R aid if someone was to legally question the due diligence of these articles.?

Now, wouldnt that be newsworthy!

Interested

August 19, 2011 - 9:39 am EDT

Addressing only point 6 of your post, and acknowledging I do not have any experience with A & T specifically, I do not believe the state of NC requires college freshman (or any other student) attending a state institution to have a physical on file. Our eldest entered UNC-CH in fall of '09, our son entered NC State last week. While both schools do require medical history and immunization data, neither child had to provide the school with evidence of a recent physical.

Brainwash

August 19, 2011 - 4:38 pm EDT

Tl;DR

Panacea

August 19, 2011 - 8:09 am EDT

I agree with most of your points, but your arguments contain a few flaws.

Yes, the athletic trainer sent an email just before the tryout. Did he send it just to Thompson, or did it go to all coaches in all events. If the latter, a coincidence is plausible.

Records searches take a long time. I see no evidence that Witt is not fact checking; on what basis do you accuse him of this? Because he didn't report something from the first article that he didn't have access to? Accusing the N&R of a cover up is just preposterous and undermines the credibility of your other arguments. Stick to the facts.

Even if Milandru had a physical on file, it would not have included a sickle cell test. It is not routinely performed at adults who are not at risk. A better question would be, was one performed at infancy? He fits the age where that should have been a mandatory test performed at birth. If so, what were the results? Did he conceal this?

However, even if he did, that does not absolve A&T of THEIR responsibilities regarding athlete safety. I agree that many policies were violated that, had they been followed, would at least have reduced the risks for this young man if not prevented a terrible tragedy.

Gerald Witt

August 19, 2011 - 2:34 pm EDT

The email, as we have previously published, was sent to several coaches. And the email addressed the students trying out, not the actual activity of holding a tryout.

Many of the questions that are being asked in comments here are the kinds of questions that pertain to medical data and are therefore is largely protected under HIPAA. That means that we don't access to the medical records of Milandu's birth, let alone any physical that he may or may not have had on file at A&T. We ask questions of the universities and institutions and they answer as the law allows - or at their interpretation of the law. And depending upon the expanse of the request, it can take weeks to fulfill and time after that for analysis and questions for the institution. Information without context is not as useful.

Rest assured that there is no cover up occurring - at least from my end. From the actual emotion surrounding this story to the hundreds of pages of documents that we've asked for and read, I don't have the time to manufacture or participate in that kind of activity.

And that's not to say that even doing so - or the thought of it - would undermine everything that I've built my career upon: honesty, fairness and accuracy. Simply put, I don't have the energy to deal with anything other than truth.

August 19, 2011 - 4:45 pm EDT

Medical records will probably become an issue in a civil trial . . . but until then, as you say, you would not legally have access.

And even after a civil trial, some records may remain sealed.

Bottomline

August 19, 2011 - 12:09 pm EDT

I am so sorry for the loss of a fellow aggie but a physical cannot give life or take life. All of the things that have been put in place are wonderful, however, God is transcendent: He is in charge! Go to him for strength and comfort! Be blessed!

saabman

August 19, 2011 - 5:05 pm EDT

If I am not mistaken Was it not found out later that the young mans mother had the Sickle cell trait??
If A & T had been more forthcoming with the investigation in the beginning and not seemed to try to COVER things UP ,(I said seemed).
We would not be having this Conversation. What is done is done. The untimely lose of Mr. Milandu has hurt us all but it has also opened up a door . A door that will make A & T a better more accountable institution so in a lose you can have Gain.
The News paper is just doing their job just like us.
Also A & T should put in place some type of Community Health Symposium to Educate not only the student body but the over all Community about the dangers of SICKLE CELL and in so Name it in honor of Mr Milandu.
To me that would be the right thing to do!!

August 19, 2011 - 5:21 pm EDT

Mr. Whitt,

Your response makes no sense and once again you are trying to insult my intelligence. What does the HIPPA law have anything to do with you doing basic due diligence such as asking why there was no physical on file and such as asking who was responsible for maintaining student physicals for the university. Both are policy questions and are not under HIPPA. If the University refused to answer the question as to why Mr. Milandu was a sophmore without a physical on file, then why not state that in your article? Why not clarify the huge discrepancies with the so called facts.

I am appalled that you have continously chosen to write this story from a one sided point of view without even mentioning in any of your articles that there are serious questions to the veracity of to the facts stated by the university.

I do question your honesty because I recall when I first made comments to one of your articles, you contacted me on my personal email and asked me to provide you with information regarding the incident, since you believed that I had first hand knowledge about the incident. I declined. I understand that interviewing individuals who have knowledge about incidents that are being reported on is a part of journalism, but I find your comments that you discovered all of this information related to this article and previous related articles all by yourself hard to believe.

I also know first hand, that you first recieved the email regarding tryouts and sickle cell testing from the CoachThompson, when he published a formal response to the allegations aganist him in 2011. The email does have an instruction regarding tryouts, it specifically instructed coaches including Coach Thompson to not send students who are trying out varsity sports, for sickle cell testing. How is that not an instruction?

So you see, I do question your integrity and honesty because all of this time, you have come off as if you have done some hard investigative journalism and you have scoured through hundreds of documents when the most important document came from the very source you are trying to defame. Shame on you! You mentioned in that article that the email was discovered through a records search. That is not true!

That is my problem with you and this news paper, that is why I said that there is a smoke screen, not that you are trying to hide the real truth alongside A&T, but you are not honest in how you have recieved your information.

If you would like I can produce a time stamped and dated copy of the email that was sent to you in 2011 that included Coach Thompson's formal response which included the email regarding tryouts. This was sent to you before you published the article about sickle cell testing and so again I find it hard to believe that your first knowledge of the sickle cell testing email was through your own investigation such a as records search.

I dont expect you to win any prizes or awards, afterall this is the N&R, but I do expect honest journalism and integrity. You have sought out to play a game with peoples lives by writing the articles knowing that the words you are writing are not true. You have done so without thinking about who your words affect. So yes, as along as this is America and we have free speech and you have the freedom of press, I will continue to question the integrity of these articles until there is some truth to them.

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