UNLV compliance head Eric Toliver placed on leave amid harassment allegations

Eric Toliver, the longtime UNLV executive associate athletic director of compliance, has been placed on administrative leave while the university investigates harassment claims against him, several sources confirmed Thursday.

The harassment claims were made by former athletes and staff members and spanned years, according to those sources. Toliver, who is in his 26th year at UNLV and 18th as director of compliance, has been the athletic department liaison to many sports over the past several years, including softball and women’s soccer.

Toliver works in the athletic department but reports to president Len Jessup’s office in making sure UNLV properly follows NCAA rules.

According to his staff bio, Toliver also oversees all UNLV student-athlete conduct and discipline related matters and supervises the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. His compliance responsibilities include facilitating complaints that involve UNLV athletics with the school’s Title IX coordinator. Title IX law prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and athletics in schools that receive federal funding and also covers harassment and fairness.

Attempts to contact Toliver for comment Thursday were unsuccessful.

A university spokesman said Jessup would not comment. Citing department policy not to speak on personnel issues, a spokesman for athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois said she would not be available to comment.

It was unclear when Toliver was placed on administrative leave, although UNLV is believed to be in the early stages of its investigation.

A formal process is spelled out in the Nevada System of Higher Education Code under Title 2, Chapter 6, that the state’s colleges and universities follow when complaints are made against faculty, professional staff or students.

The process covers a wide range of scenarios, laying out specifics for investigations and subsequent hearings on cases.

UNLV’s investigation joins other harassment cases that have surfaced recently at Mountain West schools.

Colorado State men’s basketball coach Larry Eustachy was placed on leave while the university investigates his treatment of players and staff. According to a report Thursday in The Denver Post, Eustachy will be fired.

Also Thursday, New Mexico suspended football coach Bob Davie for 30 days. According to the Albuquerque Journal, an outside investigative firm recommended “strong action to ensure that the university does not and will not — in any aspect of the university’s program, including athletics — tolerate sexual harassment, sexual assault, physical abuse or other prohibited misconduct against its students.”

Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @markanderson65 on Twitter.