Dear President Shelton: It is being reported that the University of Arizona Athletic Director, Jim Livengood, plans to fire or force the resignation of Men\'s Head Basketball Coach, Lute Olson. The Arizona Athletic Department plans to take this action despite Coach Olson\'s 25 years of exemplary and scarcely rivaled success and his tireless commitment to both the University of Arizona and the City of Tucson. Coach Olson\'s coaching achievements, which include five Final Four appearances, and one National Championship, have earned him a place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Coach Olson is one of the greatest Division I college basketball coaches in the history of the game, and has created one of the preeminent basketball programs in the country for your university. More importantly, Coach Olson has exercised this commitment to the University and the City of Tucson with the utmost class, integrity, and generosity. Unfortunately Coach Olson is being cast aside and disrespected by the University to which he has dedicated the last 25 years of his life. We will not allow our University to treat Coach Olson in this fashion and to make this tragic mistake. In the event that the University fires or forces Coach Olson to resign we will withhold both our personal and financial support from the University. We cannot stand idly by and allow this shameful course of action to occur. The University must allow Coach Olson to leave on his terms, when he is ready. We urge you to do the right thing, and to leave Coach Olson\'s future in his hands.

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