Contact: John Chandler,
818/677-2130
john.chandler@csun.edu

Two Northridge Athletic Administrators Resign

Wilson said she had accepted the pair's resignation, with Bubb to leave the university and Brame to return to her prior status as a faculty member in the Kinesiology Department. "I respect the personal responsibility both have taken...and thank them for their years of service to the university," the president said.

After appropriate consultation, Wilson said she expects late this week to announce appointments of an acting athletic director to lead the department and an acting coach of the women's basketball team, the latter taking on the role that Brame assumed Oct. 28. The University also will launch national searches to permanently fill those posts.

The changes follow the Oct 27 arrest of CSUN women's basketball coach Michael J. Abraham on campus on federal drug charges and the university's action the next day to relieve him of his coaching duties and place him on paid administrative leave, where he remains.

Last week, Wilson ordered an internal inquiry into whether Athletic Department staff members had any prior knowledge of drug allegations involving Abraham. That inquiry has shown that Bubb and Brame were previously aware of such allegations, but felt they could not confirm them and did not report them to senior university administrators at the time.

"At this time, I have decided to leave Cal State Northridge," said Bubb, who joined CSUN in July 1990 as development director the Athletic Department. After serving a associate athletic director from 1992 to 1995, he was named interim athletic director in July 1995 and athletic director in April 1996, becoming the third person to hold that post.

"I have given my best to the university and leave confident in my that the decisions I have made as athletic director were in the best interest of the Athletic Department and the university," said Bubb, 41, of Chatsworth.

Bubb added, "To those who have expressed their support for me during this time, I appreciate your kind thoughts. To the university and the community, I wish to express my sincere wishes that this university be allowed to develop its athletic program to its fullest potential, and that everyone work toward that common goal."

Brame issued the following statement: "Because I care deeply about Cal State Northridge athletics and my effectiveness in this area, I have concluded that it is in the best interest of the program for me to resign my administrative responsibilities."

"My various roles int he athletic program for the past 24 years have constituted the major part of my professional career, and I have found it rewarding. I look forward to returning to my academic career," said Brame, 58, of Woodland Hills.

Brame joined the university as women's basketball coach in 1974 and later served as women's athletic director from 1978 to 1987, associate athletic director from 1987 to 1993, and finally as senior associate athletic director since 1994.