Rodney Jones has resigned as an assistant athletics director at Kansas Athletics Inc., marking the third person to leave the department as a ticket scandal emerged amid an ongoing federal investigation and led to a continuing internal review.
Jones, an assistant athletics director who held the title of director of the Williams Educational Fund, resigned last week, the department said late Wednesday.
Jim Marchiony, another associate athletics director, declined Wednesday to discuss the circumstances behind Jones’ resignation. Jones, a former manager of the KU ticket office, had been on administrative leave since early March.
“He resigned,” Marchiony said. “That’s all we’re going to say.”
Jones’ departure comes after his boss — Ben Kirtland, associate athletics director for fundraising — resigned April 5. Charlette Blubaugh resigned in February as manager of the ticket office, to take a job at the University of Central Oklahoma; both Blubaugh and Marchiony later said her departure had nothing to do with anything that led to Jones being placed on leave.
KU Athletics Director Lew Perkins has acknowledged illegal activities regarding tickets for events that involve KU athletics teams, but has declined to discuss the circumstances in detail. He also has acknowledged a federal investigation, and the hiring of a Wichita law firm to deal with federal investigators.
As part of an internal review, the department has hired a team of forensic auditors to discover what happened and to recommend changes to policies and procedures to see that such problems could never occur again, Perkins said earlier this month, at an appearance at the Dole Institute. The review covers both the Williams Fund and the ticket office.
Gary Sherrer, vice chairman for the Kansas Board of Regents, said last month that federal investigators would be involved anytime an employee was earning income from the sale of tickets without reporting that income to the IRS.
Perkins announced Wednesday that Angie Storey, a compliance coordinator with Kansas Athletics since 2006, would serve as interim associate director for the Williams Fund. The fund has more than 4,200 members and last year generated about $15 million in contributions for Kansas Athletics.
Comments
shadowbox66044 3 years, 1 month ago
hmm... something doesn't smell right..
NoDramaMama 3 years, 1 month ago
I don't understand why the stories continue to mention that Mr. Jones was a "former manager of the KU ticket office" when he hasn't held that position for years and one would assume that his leave and resignation were a result of more recent activities. Am I mistaken? I also don't understand the need to bring Ms. Blubaugh into the story when she resigned of her own accord to take a position elsewhere and it's been said in previous articles that she has nothing to do with the ongoing investigation. If I were her, I wouldn't be very happy with my name being linked to this if I had no connection to the illegal activities. Maybe there's something I've missed?
jimjones 3 years, 1 month ago
The Athletic Dept. will have no credibility until Perkins is fired. It's just one embarrassment after another under Lew's leadership.
Haiku_Cuckoo 3 years, 1 month ago
Improved facilities, massive increase in budget, trip to the Orange Bowl...yes, that's embarrassing (if you're Mizzou fan). Other schools' athletic departments wish they had this much success.
ilegler86 3 years, 1 month ago
At what cost however? It's my opinion that since his arrival many of the great traditions surrounding our athletics program have been thrown aside to make way for Big Lew's visions.... Not to mention a lawsuit costing in upwards of 3/4 of a million dollars against Larry Sinks that Lew justified by saying Larry was taking money away from scholarships, 750,000 could have sent many people to school instead Lew had his way and ran the man out of business...
hbjayhawk 3 years, 1 month ago
Wait until Williams Fund members like myself file a class action lawsuit against KUAC. We have been frauded and although we will ALWAYS support KU athletics, we are going to be awarded punitive damages for KUAC's lack of oversight. Sorry Lew, your the boss, took our money, and defrauded us. See you in court to settle for appropriate restitution and status for purchasing our future seats at all KU athletic functions.
Sincerely, Loyal Williams Fund member who pump scrilla into your pockets.
Take_a_letter_Maria 3 years, 1 month ago
Ouch. I hope this isn't reflective of what a KU education provides.
"We have been frauded..." "...your the boss..."
KRichards 3 years, 1 month ago
No kidding. I hope his lawyer actually knows frauded is not a word.
We will all be waiting anxiously to hear about your 'class action' lawsuit.
lzjayhawk 3 years, 1 month ago
I owned a business here in Lawrence many years ago and Rodney Jones was an employee of mine. He stole from me then so it's no surprise he's still doing it. I hope he gets nailed to the wall and serves time for this. He is someone who will never learn his lesson and will always be a morally deprived person! Shame on him.........again.
LarryNative 3 years, 1 month ago
I have only known Rodnet since his days at KU. Any chance of telling us what business you use to own? I understand if you don't, just curious where Rodney use to work.
KRichards 3 years, 1 month ago
From what I know Rodney graduated from OU in 1996 and then came to work for KU in 1997. To my knowledge he never worked at another business in Lawrence.
FarneyMac 3 years, 1 month ago
Maybe now they can get around to changing the name of the Williams Fund. Roy Williams hasn't been at KU for years, and yet his fund still carries his name. Come on KU, get with it!
/waits for a nibble...
LarryNative 3 years, 1 month ago
And 54 minutes later, the mouse enters the trap....
asbury 3 years, 1 month ago
Umm.......I'm thikin' the name "Williams Fund" was at KU long before Roy was!!
asbury 3 years, 1 month ago
Now I'm thinkin' the trap just slammed shut!!
hail2oldku 3 years, 1 month ago
I'm gonna have to see your fishing permit Farney. I believe you have exceeded your limit. I am curious about the line you're using though in order to handle all of that weight.
redmoonrising 3 years, 1 month ago
The name is in honor of the Williams family, not Roy, who contributed heavily to KU athletics. I think the brothers are all gone now but the fund has carried their name longer than I can remember.
FarneyMac 3 years, 1 month ago
Jackpot. Never fails.
Look, I was never a huge Roy Williams fan either, but there's no need to insult him by calling him Odd.
4everahawk 3 years, 1 month ago
FarneyMac: Williams Fund has been in existence for many, many years prior to Roy Williams...it was named honoring the Williams family (of which Odd was one of, I believe, 3 brothers) who were avid supporters and contributors to KU.
KRichards 3 years, 1 month ago
The need for a student-athlete scholarship program at KU was recognized early at KU. The Outland Club was organized by Dick, Skipper, and Odd Williams in 1949. The Williams Family was responsible for raising more than $2 million for athletic scholarships between 1949 and 1973. In 1973, the Outland Club became known as the Williams Educational Fund to honor the Williams family for its commitment to Kansas Athletics.
hail2oldku 3 years, 1 month ago
And in a rather unfortunate, yet odd coincidence, Odd III had his name quickly changed to Todd when it became apparent that he was slightly developmentally disabled.
4everahawk 3 years, 1 month ago
Thanks KRichards for the history on the Williams family...
4everahawk 3 years, 1 month ago
edjayhawk: Meaning of 'forensic' audit....Relating to the use of science or technology in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence.
A little more involved than just perusing through the files.
smitty 3 years, 1 month ago
of, relating to, or used in public debate or argument used or applied in the investigation and establishment of facts or evidence in a court of law; "forensic photograph"; "forensic ballistics"
kujayhawk93 3 years, 1 month ago
FarneyMac- Congrats, you baited the hook and landed a huge catch!
mom_of_three 3 years, 1 month ago
KU has a class on forensic accounting - it's to figure out and prove how the bad guys take the money.
opobserver 3 years ago
I am STILL waiting for the indictment of the morally empty AD that lined his own pockets. Does anyone know anything????????????????????????
mudd 3 years, 1 month ago
Or it means that everybody wants him gone and won't be satisfied until her is. Kinda like JimJones comment about Lew. Seems to me that LJW just did a story about KU conducting 5 internal audits and KU not finding anything that would have flagged the feds. Interesting.
Kontum1972 3 years, 1 month ago
nailed to the wall in prison...LoL...that will probably occur that first day on the cell block....."Nailed"...LoL!
Kontum1972 3 years, 1 month ago
no it was..." Hangnail Williams".....all time great...
Paul R. Getto 3 years, 1 month ago
Wonder if this is the one they will toss under the bus to try and save some other's scalps? This has the potential to get tragically interesting.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.