When UW-Madison Chancellor David Ward learned that a senior athletic department official allegedly sexually assaulted a student, he called Athletic Director Barry Alvarez within hours with a message: Do not “interfere.”
A file released by the committee charged with investigating the claims details Ward’s message to Alvarez. It also includes hour-by-hour details of what transpired after former senior associate athletic director John Chadima allegedly made inappropriate contact with a student employee earlier this year.
Additionally, investigators submitted the final report on two subsequent allegations of misconduct by Chadima to the chancellor Monday.
In the file describing the initial incident, which allegedly occurred following a Dec. 30 Rose Bowl party in Pasadena, university officials and campus police first briefed Ward around 10:05 a.m., Jan. 6.
At approximately 11 a.m., the chancellor called Alvarez, who had worked closely with Chadima for years, saying, “UW will assume responsibility in investigating the matter and … Athletics should not lead, run a parallel or interfere with the investigation.”
The chancellor then told Alvarez to put Chadima on unpaid leave, and stipulated that the associate athletic director should not be on campus or have contact with the alleged victim. After being placed on leave, Chadima resigned that same day.
According to the investigators’ file, Ward also warned Alvarez, “There should be no retaliation against those who have reported [the incident].”
According to the student employee’s allegations, Chadima asked him to stay late in his hotel room after a party. When the two were alone, Chadima reportedly reached down the student’s pants, at which point the student abruptly left the room and reported the alleged assault to his supervisors.
Since that time, two additional allegations of misconduct have been made against Chadima. Investigators submitted the final report on the most recent charges to Ward Monday.
In accordance with Wisconsin public records law, the university notified Chadima Monday about the anticipated public release on the latest investigations.
The former associate athletic director will have 10 days to file a court motion objecting to the release of the findings. The university will make the reports public once it is legally permissible.
