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Fired CSU AD received poor performance review

Kelly Lyell
kellylyell@coloradoan.com

Jack Graham clearly articulated his vision for CSU's athletic programs but generally didn't work well with others, according to a summary report of a recent review of the recently fired athletic director's job performance obtained by the Coloradoan.

Graham's overall review score was 2.34 on a scale of 1 to 5. He was rated at the lowest levels, with average scores of less than 3, on 17 of the 31 questions posed to five of the nine people who reported directly to him. Asked to "rate the overall morale among employees of the athletic department," those reporting directly gave an average rating of 2.11, while peers and colleagues outside the department gave an average rating of 1.56.

Documents: CSU AD Graham performance review

The review was conducted in late June by Tim Athey, president of Transition Leadership and an affiliate professor in Colorado State University's psychology department. Twenty-three people were surveyed in the review — nine employees who report directly to the AD, 10 peers and colleagues and four others.

"In roughly a third of the survey questions, Jack Graham received the lowest possible score — a '1, not at all' — from significant numbers of his direct reports/senior staff," the summary said. "Two-thirds of his direct reports/senior staff, 6 of 9, rated him at the lowest possible score in response to this question, 'Employees of the Department enjoy the work environment created by this individual.'"

Graham's ratings were even worse among peers and others, half of whom rated him at the lowest level in response to 25 of the 31 questions, the report said.

It's not clear what role the 360-degree performance review had in CSU President Tony Frank's decision announced Friday to fire Graham.

More: Fired CSU AD Graham says it was 'all about the stadium'

Frank will only say that his decision to exercise the "termination for convenience" clause in Graham's contract was unrelated to the controversial proposal to build an on-campus stadium.

"There's all sorts of people who want to say that problems around the stadium are part of the reason that Jack is no longer the AD or that Jack not being the AD means the stadium is dead," Frank said. "I don't know how to say it any more clearly than that is not why I terminated Jack as the athletic director.

"The stadium, just like the investment in some things we're talking about is much bigger than one person. It's an important long-term topic for the university."

Graham said Tuesday the decision to fire him was "all about the stadium," and said fundraising for the proposed $254 million facility was going far better than the university said when it told the Coloradoan last month that only $24.2 million had been raised — far short of the stated goal of securing $110 million in private donations by October.

Graham said more than $45 million had been pledged, and another $15 million to $20 million would have been on the books by October.

After learning the Coloradoan had received a summary of the recent review under state open records law, Graham issued the following statement on Wednesday:

"I'll let my record and my relationships with students, coaches, fans, donors and Colorado State University constituents speak for me. The CSU athletics program has been transformed — people now expect great things.

"When I became athletic director in December of 2011, I was asked to achieve two missions: bring a culture of excellence to the CSU Athletics program, and lead the fundraising effort for a new state-of-the-art, on-campus stadium. We have done both — created a sustainable culture of excellence and made tremendous progress on raising funds for a new stadium. We have hired talented, proven coaches who are now committed for the long term.

"We have built great relationships across campus with faculty and deans, staff, coaches, students and student-athletes. The process of changing a culture often causes anxiety, particularly among those uncertain of their personal futures in the new culture. Ruffled feathers often result.

"I accept that demanding excellence is not always warm and fuzzy, but it is absolutely necessary to lead an organization through an intense period of cultural change. I wasn't asked to take on the role of CSU athletic director to win a popularity contest.

"There is no question in my mind, nor the minds of the hundreds of people who have reached out to us from across campus and the community, that we were on the right path."

On the review, Graham received aggregate marks of 3 or higher for his ability to:

  • Communicate "a compelling vision/direction for the future"
  • Establishing "clear goals, objectives and priorities"
  • Conveying those priorities with the "proper sense of urgency and importance"
  • Making "sound decisions consistent with department/university goals"
  • "Establishing high standards of performance for self and others"Holding himself and others "accountable for meeting commitments."

He received aggregate marks below 2 on questions about:

  • How he "collaborates effectively with colleagues and staff to accomplish important goals"
  • "Considers the impact of his actions on other areas of the university"
  • "Adjusts his own leadership style to meet the needs of different people and situations"
  • "Effectively manages and develops the employees within the department"
  • "Creates a work environment that builds trust."

CSU would only release the numerical summary of responses to the 31 questions on the review. Other information in his personnel file, school spokesman Mike Hooker said, will be protected by the university "to the full extent permitted by law."

The full review, for which CSU paid $2,800, and other details in Graham's personnel file can only be released with Graham's consent, Hooker and Jason Johnson, the university's deputy general counsel, said.

Much of the information released by CSU regarding the third-party performance review was redacted, so it was not clear what prompted the review.

Follow reporter Kelly Lyell at twitter.com/KellyLyell and facebook.com/KellyLyell.news

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