An impassioned Al Bohl told his side of the story on Thursday afternoon, and the Kansas University Athletic Corporation board believed him.

“I did nothing inappropriately,” stressed Bohl, KU’s athletic director for the last nine months.

All along Bohl, who spent five years as AD at Fresno State before coming to Kansas, has denied any impropriety in what FSU officials have termed an improper transfer of funds during Bohl’s last three years in Fresno.

At Thursday’s KUAC board meeting, Bohl elaborated on his defense, citing three separate instances when Fresno State’s budget was reviewed with a fine-tooth comb.

“First, three top university people reviewed the budget,” Bohl said. “Next the NCAA came in for its certification process and crunched the numbers. The third time the Bulldog Foundation turned over every rock.”

Bohl did receive a bonus for those balanced budgets, but he noted that other factors were also involved, like academics and gender equity. Moreover, he said the bonus was in the $3,000 to $4,000 range, not the $30,000-plus that appeared in some published reports.

Then Bohl emphasized how much money he generated for Fresno State athletics while he was there  by fund-raising, by renting the football stadium for such revenue-generators as Billy Graham crusades and Promise Keepers gatherings. In addition, he said, he helped convince students to contribute some of their fees to athletics.

“I brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars to Fresno State,” Bohl said.

In closing, Bohl said he wants nothing but the best for Fresno State, reiterating: “I’m confident we followed proper procedures.”

Three KUAC board members asked questions.

Renate Mai-Dalton, an associate professor of business, wanted to know if Bohl thought the tarnishing of his reputation would affect his ability to do his job at Kansas.

“No,” Bohl said emphatically.

Laird Noller, an alumni member from Lawrence, asked how long Bohl had been AD at Toledo U. and if he had had any problems at the Ohio school.

“I was there nine years,” Bohl replied, “and everything was positive.”

Finally, Maggie Childs, an associate professor of East Indian studies, asked if Bohl was responsible for the improper movement of Fresno State funds.

“Anything done with the budget,” Bohl replied, “was by the entire campus.”

After the meeting, KUAC board chair John Ferraro, who heads the hearing and speech department at the KU Med Center and was a member of the search committee that hired Bohl, said he was “very satisfied” with Bohl’s response.

“He feels innocent,” Ferraro said, “and I’m convinced he is.”

The issue may or may not be resolved when a full audit of Fresno State athletics is released, probably in a month to six weeks. In the meantime, the damage to Bohl’s reputation has been done and he’s pressing on.

“I strongly believe in my honesty and integrity,” Bohl said, “and that’s helped me get through this situation.”

Coincidentally, the KUAC board also approved about a $24 million budget for the 2002-2003 fiscal year. The budget includes an expected $600,000 increase in donations to the Williams Fund.

Jack Clevenger, an alumni member from Kansas City, Mo., and a contributor, said he wants more scrutiny of the Williams Fund.

“There are too many different numbers,” said Clevenger, talking about the Williams Fund line-items on the budget. “I want some accountability because people are tired of giving and then hearing they’ve got to give a little more.”

Addressing Clevenger, Bohl said he would do “exactly what you said,” adding: “We want to get better at what we do. We want to expand on the number of donors.”

Also, the KUAC board:

 Re-elected Ferraro, vice chair Tom Mulinazzi and secretary Jessica Bankston.

 Recognized retiring members Noller, Childs and David Ambler.

 Heard that men’s basketball ticket prices will remain at $30, but that the season ticket price will go up because KU will have 16 home games instead of 15.

 Heard from chief financial officer Susan Wachter that the 2001-2002 budget should balance. “At this point with increased revenue from the Big 12 Conference,” Wachter said, “we should be OK by the end of the (fiscal) year.”