Former Pitt trustee sues board, alleges retaliation

A longtime member of the University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees is suing his former board and its chair, claiming that he has been shut out because of concerns he raised about budget and other management issues, including the fall termination of former athletic director Heather Lyke.

John H. Pelusi Jr. filed the lawsuit alleging retaliation against the board and Chair Jonathan J. Verbanac Sr. early this month in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

He also filed an emergency motion for a preliminary injunction after being held out of the December trustees meetings. A hearing on that is scheduled for February.

“We vehemently disagree with the baseless allegations contained within the complaint filed by nonvoting Emeritus Trustee John Pelusi, and we will aggressively defend against this action,” said Pitt spokesman Jared Stonesifer.

Pelusi, of Stuart, Fla., joined the board of trustees in 1994 and said in the lawsuit that he and his family have donated extensively to the university and medical school.

He also said in the complaint that his business and real estate expertise have allowed the university to save hundreds of millions of dollars over the years.

In June, following the maximum 30 years of service as a trustee, Pelusi was elected to be an emeritus member.

According to the bylaws, emeritus members may attend meetings as observers and serve as nonvoting committee members. However, in the lawsuit, Pelusi said Verbanac has not allowed him to do even that.

Instead, he claims that his access was completely removed after he continued to raise concerns regarding Pitt policies on Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) in college athletics; conference realignment and media rights; that the university does not have its own home football stadium; and the termination of Lyke.

Pelusi played center for the Panthers’ undefeated 1976 national championship football team.

He believes that Pitt could lose six- and seven-figure donations over her firing.

“This unforced error could have been avoided if the trustees, including Mr. Pelusi, were not kept in the dark when they made legitimate requests for information,” the lawsuit said.

Between August and October, the complaint continued, Pelusi contacted Verbanac and Pitt Chancellor Joan Gabel on multiple occasions expressing his concerns and requesting a meeting.

The requests were denied.

Then, on Oct. 27, the lawsuit said, the board secretary contacted Pelusi to schedule a meeting with Verbanac and the chair of the governance committee.

Pelusi declined, saying he would only meet with the entire committee, the complaint said. He also asked that the chancellor attend.

That didn’t happen.

Instead, on Nov. 4, Verbanac sent Pelusi a letter in which he said he was revoking Pelusi’s right to attend all board meetings.

“Chairperson Verbanac described Mr. Pelusi’s attempts to gather information about the athletic director’s termination, and his related requests for meetings, as ‘disruptive, inappropriate, and go(ing) beyond what is appropriate for someone serving in this role,’ ” the complaint said.

At the same time, the lawsuit said, Verbanac removed Pelusi’s access to the board’s information portal.

“Finally, Chairperson Verbanac’s correspondence contained a loosely veiled retaliatory threat, promising to ‘pursue other avenues available to (the board)’ if Mr. Pelusi continued to attempt to seek the answers he has sought for months,” the lawsuit said.

Pelusi also alleges that the bylaws do not allow the chair to unilaterally remove a trustee from the board, and that the move must be voted on.