UW's Academic Appeal.

Huskies booster offered $100K for coach's firing

By Nick Perry, Bob Condotta And Ken Armstrong

Seattle Times staff reporters

With some exceptions for privacy, e-mails and letters sent to public officials are considered public records under state law. That's because the public is entitled to know what information officials take into account while reaching decisions.

It's kind of assumed: Big-money boosters will, from time to time, try to influence the direction of their favorite college teams, however discreetly.

But when Ed Hansen — lawyer, multimillionaire, University of Washington alumnus and former three-term Everett mayor — wrote UW President Mark Emmert six weeks ago, he abandoned all sense of delicacy.

Hansen, unhappy with the state of Huskies football, placed a price upon the head of the football coach and the school's athletic director. His e-mail said:

"By this letter I hereby pledge to contribute a minimum of $100,000 towards a law school scholarship within 90 days, conditioned upon the termination of Ty Willingham as football coach.

"In addition, I hereby pledge a second $100,000 towards a law school scholarship within 90 days, conditioned upon the termination of Todd Turner as athletic director.

"Also, I do not intend to contribute any further funds to the athletic department as long as these two gentlemen are employed by the University."

While I do suppose Mr. Hansen is wiothin his rights, I also suggest that thiss sort of thing ought to to lead to imortnat questios about Mr. hanson's role any toehr area of UW governance.