The Courier Journal reports the University of Louisville’s Board of Trustees repeatedly broke open meetings laws which may have strengthened the cases of former basketball coach Rick Pitino and former athletics director Tom Jurich, according to a decision issued today by Attorney General Andy Beshear.
The ruling is a response to a complaint filed in December by the Courier Journal, which argued state law prohibits public agencies, such as the board of trustees, from allowing its members to participate in closed sessions via video teleconference.
Several trustees used video teleconferencing to attend closed sessions in the past two years, according to minutes from board of trustees meetings.
The ruling is significant because it opens the door for Pitino and Jurich to sue to have disciplinary action against them reversed if it was discussed or acted on in a closed session. Pitino has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against the university while Jurich has not. The university has until March 3rd to file an appeal of the attorney general’s decision.