A “frivolous” investigation of a former cross country coach. Improperly handled sexual assault allegations. An athletic department “in disarray.” These are just some of the findings in a report about a wide-ranging investigation of misconduct at Haskell Indian Nations University, which describes an institution that is “severely dysfunctional and severely lacking processes and procedures.”
The investigation confirms a claim the Journal-World reported nearly two years ago: that Haskell students were required to sign a no-contact agreement barring them from communicating with anyone — including their parents — about allegations lodged against their former cross country coach, Clay Mayes.
One of them was a United States Postal Service investigation of the allegations against Mayes. More than 500 pages of materials related to that investigation were released late last year in response to a lawsuit from government watchdog nonprofit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, which sought instead to force the release of the 80-page report shared with the Journal-World this past week.
