A significant shake up took place at San Jose State University on Friday.
The administration announced that the university’s athletics director, Mary Tuite was being reassigned. That reassignment marks the first major personnel change in the wake of a sexual abuse scandal involving former director of sports medicine Scott Shaw.
“I think they did the right thing. These days a lot of people think certain things are ok, when they’re not,” Julian Boice, soccer player for the Spartans.
San Jose student Teddy Barnes also agrees with the decision. “I think they did a good step, taking her out of that position,” he said.
Shaw retired from the school in August amid allegations of multiple assaults.
NBC Bay Area was unable to reach Shaw on Friday, but he previously denied any wrongdoing through an attorney. Shaw is not facing any criminal investigation.
Tuite was Shaw’s athletics director for three and a half years. Tuite and the university declined out request for comment on Friday.
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But in a news release, the university outlined the two external investigations about the Shaw allegations. The first happened in 2009 but Shaw was later cleared. Then, a second investigation happened in 2019 when Tuite was the department director. That was determined Shaw violated the school's code of conduct.
Critics have blasted Tuite as they said she should have responded to ongoing complaints about Shaw sooner.
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"We need to keep survivors and their safety and wellbeing at the center of all decisions we’re making,” said Esther Peralez-Dieckmanm, director of the Next Door Solutions To Domestic Violence.
Peralez-Dieckmanm added the community is closely watching how the university handles the matter.
“I hope that the message is the victims need support. The victims need to be believed and the school needs to make them the priority in terms of actions moving forward,” she said.
Peralez-Dieckmanm said the community will determine if the decision to keep simply move Tuite is a wise one.
