Press Conference Quotes from Donna Shalala and Paul Dee

June 26, 2003

President Donna Shalala

Opening Statement

“The Board of Trustees Executive Committee has met and had a long discussion about the proposal from the ACC to switch conferences. We did not make a decision today. The Big East has informally sent a proposal, or at least a list of proposals, to us and we feel a responsibility to review them. We also had not analyzed the Virginia Tech/Miami sequence. We had done numbers on Boston College, Virginia Tech and Miami. We had done numbers on Miami alone. But we had not anticipated that Virginia Tech and Miami would be the only two invitees, so we have to finish our analysis under some direction and questions that the Board of Trustees have raised. We will finish our due diligence by Monday and announce our decision on Monday.”

Director of Athletics Paul Dee

Opening Statement

“I would just repeat that the circumstances are such that we have more information to review, and that we want to make sure that in making this decision we make the very best decision we can make in the best interest of all parties.”

Questions

President Shalala

On whether we are leaning toward the ACC or BIG EAST

“There is every indication that we have not made a decision as a University, so I wouldn’t describe us as leaning one way or another.”

Is it a possibility that Miami might stay in the BIG EAST?

“Yes. But I can’t analyze that for you, and I only answer the question yes because we have not made a decision yet.”

Director of Athletics Paul Dee

“There are a lot of aspects that we have to look at in term of how the schedules would run in the conference. What it would mean to outside competition and what it would mean in other ways beyond that. Particularly given that with 11 (schools) scheduling, at least in the short term, would be fairly difficult and it might affect our non-conference scheduling. We have a lot of different things that we have to look at. We have been looking at them, but we haven’t completed that.”

President Shalala

Did you expect things to progress the way that have?

“Absolutely not. No. I’m not surprised we were sued. Who sued us surprised me.”

On being disappointed that Boston College and Syracuse were not invited

“We were deeply disappointed that Boston College and Syracuse were not invited by the ACC.”

Would there have been a decision today if there were not counter proposal by the BIG EAST

“No, because we are being held up by talking to the ACC about the two schools’ scenario.”

Has the ACC made any assurances that a 12th team would be invited sooner rather than later

“I would not describe it as assurances. We were told that it was the intention of the majority of the ACC to go to 12 teams, but I would not describe it as an absolute assurance. We were only assured that two teams were invited.”

On if the ACC expansion would continue without Miami

“We (Miami and Virginia Tech) are not tied to each other we have been told.”

How appealing was the BIG EAST proposal or proposals

“Our statement is that we want to be fair to our colleagues and since it came from Syracuse and Boston College we are particularly obligated to give it a thoughtful response.”

Will the lawsuit play a role in Miami’s response

“It (the lawsuit) does not play into it (the decision) at all. The trustees were briefed by general council Bob Blake on the lawsuit.”

Was there any consensus one way or another among the Board of Trustees

“One of the things that is probably driving all of you crazy that we have done vary carefully is consulted with everyone at ad nauseam, including the students, the faculty, the president of the faculty senate was there today. We openly discussed it at our trustees meeting. Remember we have 70 members of our Board of Trustees. About one-third of our student athletes e-mailed me with their comments. This is part of that process and obviously this is the most important decision-making board of the University.”

On weather the student-athlete e-mails were leaning one way or another

“Yes, they were very thoughtful and the spelling was excellent. Pro or against? The student-athletes analyzed it for their sport. They were really nice pieces of analysis. I hope some of them take my public policy course.”