UW firms up rules on ethics of bowl-game freebies

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As a result of a state ethics investigation, the University of Washington will adopt a policy that outlines which employees and guests can be invited to postseason football bowl games at the university's expense.

But the UW disagrees with the Washington State Executive Ethics Board opinion that President Richard McCormick and Athletic Director Barbara Hedges may have violated state laws by using Rose Bowl money last year and money from the 1999 Holiday Bowl to spend on airfare, game tickets and other activities for themselves, their friends and certain UW employees.

In a settlement the Ethics Board approved yesterday, the UW will reimburse the board $8,500 for the cost of the nine-month investigation and will agree to adopt invitation guidelines to bowl games.

While the settlement ends the case, both sides still disagree over possible ethics violations. The Ethics Board contends it had a strong case because state employees are barred from receiving gifts of more than $50 from a single source in a calendar year. Gifts include event admissions, food, lodging and transportation.

Both sides, though, said they were ready to go forward and believe the new policy will prevent future misinterpretation.

"We now have clarity and a guideline that will allow them to do their business and do it appropriately," said Brian Malarky, executive director of the Ethics Board.

The investigation began last March based on information provided by a person who requested anonymity. Hedges allowed colleagues in the athletic department to take their families to the game using Rose Bowl money.

The UW spent $1.45 million on the Rose Bowl trip, about $1.3 million of which was paid for by the Pacific-10 Conference, which invited the Huskies to the game. The difference was paid through the university's athletic operating and capital budgets, which are not tax dollars, but revenue from ticket sales, TV and fund-raisers, UW officials said.

The trip included air and ground travel, four nights at the Beverly Hills Hilton, Rose Bowl tickets valued at $125 each, souvenir packages and Disneyland passes.

McCormick's guest list to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., included 89 people. Most were university employees, UW regents and their spouses. The list included four legislative leaders, Gov. Gary Locke and his family and McCormick's in-laws.

No one on the guest lists was named in the Ethics Board's one-paragraph complaints, and no one else was being investigated.

The UW said the actions of its senior officials were consistent with those of past administrations. McCormick and Hedges "were doing what presidents and athletic directors had done decades before," said Norm Arkans, UW associate vice president of university relations.

As part of the agreement, the UW will revise the president's contract to allow him to bring his spouse and dependent children to postseason athletic events at the university's expense.

The UW also will stipulate in other employee contracts whether the university will reimburse the employees for family travel to bowl games.

Concerning guests, the UW will include a policy stating that the university can invite elected officials and their spouses and pay for their travel and related expenses. And Regents can attend postseason games and receive travel expenses as part of their official duties.

"All of this was implicit, and now we are making it explicit," Arkans said of the guidelines. "It's now as clear as black and white."

Tan Vinh can be reached at 206-515-5656 or tvinh@seattletimes.com.