The
Clarion
Fawkes'?
Volume 73, Issue 10
SERVING THE BREVARD COLLEGE
COMMUNITY SINCE 1935
November 9, 2007
F-I-R-E-D!
Tom Collins speaks out about his departure
by Ben Goff
News Editor
The recent and sudden firing
of AD Tom Collins has left
many wondering just what
happened. This week I sat
down with the former AD at his
home to talk about why he was
fired and what he plans to do
now.
The Clarion: What were the
reasons for your dismissal from
the Athletic Director position?
Tom Collins: “It was a power
struggle between myself and
[the administration] over
financial aid [for student
athletes] and recruitment... I
felt like because we didn’t meet
our enrolment goals this year...
they were unfairly making
athletics the scapegoat, and
that really became a point of
contention.”
“In a meeting [with President
Van Horn to discuss financial
aid for student athletes on
Wed. Oct 17] things got tense.
I rose to leave and the
president said that if I opened
the door I’d be fired. I opened
the door I was fired”
“I knew when I left the office
that I was fired. I realized that
and I made that decision...It
was a legitimate decision on
the president’s part. I support
the president. I don’t
necessarily agree with him, but
I support him.”Collins
described to me how there had
been building tensions
between himself and
administrators, with several
volatile meetings leading up to
his being fired. In one meeting
with administrators he stated
that he “...acted rudely. I
shouldn’t have done it, it was
childish, it was inappropriate...
I get very passionate [about my
job], and sometimes when
things get heated I get testy
and agitated and can seem
aggressive or rude.”
Clarion: Is it true that
campus security was called to
remove you from campus?
TC: “I heard the president
say ‘Call security’ to Cherie
[the president’s assistant] as I
left his office... Stan [Jacobsen]
came by... my office. He asked
me to leave, so I just went
home.”
Clarion: How did you react
to this sudden firing?
TC: “F-I-R-E-D! Frustrated-
Insecure - Resentful - Empty
- Depressed. Those are the
See Collins, Page 3
Final Home Game
photo by J. Billingsley
photo by J. Billingsley
(Left) Derek Church runs through the Catawba defense. (Right) John Taylor hurdles a Catawba defender for
a touchdown. The football team played their final home game last Saturday falling to Catawba 56-21. The
final game of the season will be this Saturday at Newberry.
What's
Inside?
News 2
Sports 6
Opinion 10
Arts & Life 11
Costner 14
Lifestyles 15
Class 16