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Jessica Dorrell resigns her position at University of Arkansas
Dorrell had a consensual relationship with school's former football coach Bobby Petrino
Dorrell will receive $14,000 as part of a financial settlement with the university
CNN —The woman at the center of a scandal that led to the firing of University of Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino resigned from her job at the school on Tuesday.
Jessica Dorrell, the football program’s student athlete development coordinator, had been placed on paid administrative leave after it was discovered that she had a consensual relationship with Petrino.
That relationship came to light after Petrino was involved in a motorcycle crash on April 1. Dorrell, a former Arkansas volleyball player, was a passenger on Petrino’s motorcycle, but he did not initially disclose that information.
LITTLE ROCK, AR - NOVEMBER 19: Head Coach Bobby Petrino and the Arkansas Razorbacks watches his team warm up before a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at War Memorial Stadium on November 19, 2011 in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Bulldogs 44-17. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) Getty Images/file video
nr petrino terminated as coach_00002111 videoThrough its investigation, the school learned that Petrino, a married father of four, had given Dorrell “some $20,000” before she was hired and failed to disclose their relationship when recommending her for the job with the department, thereby giving her “an unfair and undisclosed advantage for a position on his football staff.” Dorrell beat out 158 applicants for the job she was hired for on March 23.
“While Ms. Dorrell had a legitimate right to apply for and accept a position within the football program, the circumstances surrounding the former coach’s decision to hire her compromised her ability to be effective in such a position,” athletics director Jeff Long said on Tuesday. “She and I believe she should have the opportunity to move on.”
Dorrell agreed she wouldn’t attempt to sell or profit from her affiliation with Razorbacks Athletics, officials said. The university will pay Dorrell approximately $14,000 as part of the settlement.
The school announced that there were no immediate plans to re-open or publicize the job opportunity.
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