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Former assistant sues UCF for breach of contract

By WTOP Staff

KYLE HIGHTOWER
Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A former UCF football assistant coach is suing the university and the athletic department for breach of contract, alleging that coach George O’Leary engaged in continuous criticism of his work and created a work environment that included bullying, threatening behavior and repeated discriminatory epithets.

Former defensive coordinator Paul Ferraro filed the suit in Florida last week. The suit alleges O’Leary made derogatory remarks about Ferraro’s Italian heritage, African-Americans and persons of Jewish descent.

Ferraro was hired as the Knights defensive coordinator on Dec. 26 of last year following the departure of Jim Fleming. The hiring came just days before UCF played Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Ferraro states in the suit that he was given a termination letter on Feb. 26, a day after he voiced his concerns to the school’s human resources department and in an email to O’Leary and his fellow assistant coaches.

That email was attached as an exhibit to the lawsuit.

“No longer will I put up with your constant verbal abuse of both our coaching and support staff,” Ferraro wrote in the email. “Threatening coaches on a regular basis with their jobs and racial slurs mixed in to make a point is wrong. I guess that formula of bullying has worked in terms of wins (and) losses but it is not the working environment that I want to be associated with.”

UCF spokesman Grant Heston said in a statement that the school previously investigated Ferraro’s accusations and that they were found to be without merit.

“UCF immediately investigated the allegations Mr. Ferraro made when he abruptly abandoned his job,” the statement said. “The university’s Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action office found the allegations to be untrue.

“None of the individuals alleged to have been the subject of, or to have overhead, these supposed statements corroborated Mr. Ferraro’s claims. In fact, until seeking compensation after abandoning his job, it does not appear he ever discussed this with anyone at UCF.”

Ferraro maintains he never actually resigned from his post.

Asked why Ferraro waited months to file the suit, Ferraro’s attorney Gary Wilson said in an email to The Associated Press that it was delayed in an effort “to resolve this pre-suit and without publicity.”

“We respect what UCF means to the Central Florida community and we applaud UCF’s accomplishments both on and off the football field,” Wilson’s law firm said in a statement. “However, Coach Ferraro deserves representation like anyone else who has been wronged. We are simply acting as his voice and intend no harm toward UCF or (University of Central Florida Athletic Association).”

According to the suit, Ferraro was asked by O’Leary to delay assuming his coaching duties until after the Fiesta Bowl. Interim coordinator Tyson Summers coached the Knights defense in that game.

Afterward when Ferraro began his job, he says that O’Leary contradicted previous desires to simplify the defensive schemes and claims that O’Leary “micromanaged” him and “engaged in continuous and unwarranted criticism” of his work.

Ferraro said that O’Leary’s actions appeared to be to him an effort to not honor his contract and to replace him with Summers, who has subsequently taken over as the Knights defensive coordinator.

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Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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