Following a no-confidence vote and a summer leave from his position, Tennessee State athletic director Mikki Allen has been dismissed, according to a report by The Tennessean. News of Allen's dismissal was reported on November 13, but Allen reached out to The Tennessean to give his perspective on the dismissal
Allen opened his statement to The Tennessean by saying Tennessee State formally told him in writing that his employment was being terminated without cause.
“The public record deserves accuracy and clarity. Tennessee State University formally notified me in writing that my employment was being terminated without cause.”
He said the university let allegations about his leadership become part of the public narrative while he was on administrative leave, and that it shouldn’t imply he was dismissed for misconduct.
“For months, TSU allowed allegations concerning my leadership to become part of the public narrative surrounding my administrative leave. Now that the University has chosen to terminate me without cause, it should not be permitted to rely upon vague references to those same allegations to create an inference that I was dismissed for misconduct.”
Allen challenged the university to say directly whether it is asserting grounds for a for-cause termination, and to disclose the basis.
“If TSU intends to suggest that its investigation established grounds to terminate me for cause, then it should say so directly and disclose the factual basis for that assertion. It did not terminate me for cause. It terminated me without cause. That distinction matters, and the public deserves an accurate account of the circumstances surrounding my departure.”
He said he plans to protect his reputation and wished the university’s athletes and community well.
Article Continues Below“I intend to vigorously protect my name and professional reputation and ensure that the complete and accurate facts surrounding my departure are known.”
Allen, who joined the athletic department in 2020, was placed on administrative leave following a no-confidence vote by six of Tennessee State's head coaches, including football coach Reggie Barlow and men's basketball coach Nolan Smith.
The Tennessean reported in May that the concerns regarded the athletics department's operation under Allen's leadership, citing a lack of transparency and communication, an uneven allocation of resources, and what the coach described in a May 29 letter as a lack of vision for the department. Jennifer Bell currently serves as the interim athletic director.