Nick Rolovich files appeal with Washington State after firing

Former Washington State head coach Nick Rolovich on Tuesday filed a 34-page appeal letter, addressed to Cougars’ athletic director Pat Chung, in which the dismissed head coach gives Washington State one last chance to “adopt a different posture” before the university is “forced to defend [its] conduct in the context of a federal court civil rights action,” according to the Seattle Times.

In the letter, Rolovich was not asking for his job back, nor was he postulating an argument as to why he refused to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Instead, it appears that Rolovich and his lawyers are challenging the university’s decision to fire him for cause, allowing Washington State to avoid paying a buyout.

Rolovich was dismissed from Washington State just over two weeks ago, in a somewhat puzzling move that saw him leave — and forfeit a $3-plus-million salary — over the COVID-19 vaccine. A handful of assistants were let go, too.

Rolovich and the aforementioned assistant coaches did not receive the COVID-19 vaccine, which violated the terms of working for a public university. The state of Washington, led by Gov. Jay Inslee, instituted a vaccine mandate for all state employees that required them to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 18; if they didn’t, they would force termination. Rolovich’s former mentor from his time spent at the University of Hawaii, June Jones, told USA Today before the Oct. 18 deadline that Rolovich had applied for religious exemption to the mandate; his firing — for cause, no less — would suggest that he was not approved of the exemption.

“An appeal of this sort is usually the employee’s opportunity to restate his case and plead with his employer. But we see this appeal differently,” Rolovich’s lawyer, Brian Fahling, wrote in the letter. “This is your opportunity to take a step back, reexamine your illegal and unconstitutional conduct.”

The terms of Rolovich’s contact allowed him 15 days to submit an appeal to Washington State President Kirk Schulz. The letter was sent on Tuesday, 15 days after his dismissal. In the appeal, Rolovich’s lawyer says that Chun, the Washington State athletic director, demonstrated “hostility” towards Rolovich’s decision to not receive the vaccine.

In the letter, Rolovich’s lawyer details the reasoning behind his decision, part of which is linked to his opposition to medical research based on aborted fetal tissue; however, as the Seattle Times noted, such claims — which have become popular among online communities — are not quite accurate. The COVID-19 vaccines do not contain any aborted fetal cells.

“Mr. Chun even told Coach Rolovich that his request for a religious exemption would be denied and he would be fired unless he agreed to be vaccinated,” the letter continued, per the Seattle Times.

Rolovich finished his time in Pullman with a 5-6 overall record at Washington State and a 4-3 record in the Pac-12.