Faculty wants probe, asks UC Berkeley to suspend coach rehiring

A UC Berkeley faculty association asked campus Chancellor Nicholas Dirks on Thursday not to renew the contract of football strength and conditioning coach Damon Harrington until an independent investigation can determine his possible role in the death of one player and the hospitalization of another.

“The Berkeley Faculty Association requests the suspension of the renewal of the contract of football coach, Damon Harrington, pending further independent investigation,” wrote sociology Professor Michael Burawoy and Associate Professor of English Celeste Langan, the group’s co-chairs.

The Chronicle revealed that an inquiry clearing coaches and trainers of employing abusive and reckless practice drills was performed by a UC Davis physician and a private strength coach with personal ties to Cal’s athletics staff.

Harrington admitted designing the workout without consulting the team physician, and said he was unfamiliar with NCAA guidelines for players with sickle cell trait, as Agu had.

Faculty have likened the situation to recent cases in which high-profile campus employees who violated sexual harassment policies were let off lightly.