On April 24th, 2021, a federal judge dismissed Washington State University (WSU) President Kirk Schulz and former WSU Athletic Director Pat Chun from a lawsuit filed by former WSU football coach Nick Rolovich. The lawsuit, which was filed in February of 2021, alleged that WSU had violated Rolovich’s First Amendment rights when it fired him in January of 2021.
Rolovich had been hired as the head football coach at WSU in January of 2020. In December of 2020, he was informed that his contract would not be renewed. Rolovich then filed a lawsuit against WSU, claiming that the university had violated his First Amendment rights by firing him for expressing his opinion about the Pac-12 conference’s decision to postpone the 2020 football season.
In his lawsuit, Rolovich also named WSU President Kirk Schulz and former WSU Athletic Director Pat Chun as defendants. However, U.S. District Judge Salvador Mendoza Jr. dismissed both Schulz and Chun from the lawsuit on April 24th, ruling that they were not personally responsible for Rolovich’s termination.
The judge’s ruling is a victory for WSU, as it means that the university will not have to defend itself against claims made by Rolovich against Schulz and Chun. However, the lawsuit against WSU is still ongoing, and Rolovich is still seeking damages for the alleged violation of his First Amendment rights.
The dismissal of Schulz and Chun from the lawsuit is just the latest development in this ongoing legal battle between Rolovich and WSU. It remains to be seen how the case will ultimately be resolved, but it is clear that the judge’s ruling is a significant victory for WSU.
