Deaton to look into circumstances of resignation

UM System President Elson Floyd has asked MU Chancellor Brady Deaton to investigate the circumstances surrounding the resignation of former men’s basketball coach Quin Snyder.

“Dr. Floyd has asked me to look into the decision process surrounding the men’s basketball coaching situation,” Deaton said. “He didn’t give any reasons at all.”

Deaton would not comment when pressed further on the process of the investigation, only to say that he probably wouldn’t have anything more to say until today.

Deaton was in New York on Friday night and intended to be back by Sunday, but because of bad weather he could not get back to Columbia until Monday night.

Mary Jo Banken, director of news services for the MU News Bureau, went into more specifics about what Deaton’s responsibilities are in the investigation. She added that after Deaton speaks with Gary Link, an assistant athletic director at the center of the controversy, he will address the media.

“President Floyd asked Brady to talk to Gary Link and to find out specifically what Gary Link had talked with Quin Snyder about,” Banken said. “There had been a lot of conflicting stories in the media, so President Floyd just asked Brady Deaton to talk with Gary Link. Chancellor Deaton said he would do so and then he would get back with President Floyd after he talked with Gary Link.”

Since news of Snyder’s resignation broke, Link has been embroiled in the debate. The key issues appear to be whether he was told by Athletic Director Mike Alden to tell Snyder that the coach’s career at MU was through and whether he told Snyder that Floyd was party to the decision.

At his news conference Tuesday night, Snyder declined to comment further on the investigation, saying, “It is none of my concern.”

Link did not return repeated phone calls Tuesday night.

Missourian reporters Drew Bruno and Dugan Arnett contributed to this report.