Chris Gonzalez resigned as University of Idaho women’s volleyball head coach last month. Once lauded by UI athletic director Terry Gawlik as “one of the premier volleyball analysts in not only the country, but the entire world,” Gonzalez left UI with two losing seasons (4-24 in 2022, 1-27 in 2023), high player turnover (63.6% leaving before completing eligibility) and the dark shadow of a civil rights investigation that found Gonzalez discriminated against his players on the basis of sex and nationality.

It's worth revisiting highlights of the last two years:

* Feb. 9, 2022: Gawlik hires Gonzalez as head coach of the women’s volleyball team.

* Spring 2022: Players allege Gonzalez begins to exhibit bullying behavior, such as pushing a player to the ground during a practice drill.

* Fall 2022: After the season ends, eight players submit a list of grievances about Gonzalez to Gawlik.

* During the 2023 season: Players submit an eight-page complaint to university leadership, detailing more than 80 examples of Gonzalez’s actions they consider inappropriate, including making disparaging comments about their bodies and restricting their access to food.

* October 2023: A player contacts the University of Idaho’s Office of Civil Rights and Investigation on behalf of the volleyball team. An investigation is outsourced to Thompson & Horton LLP, a Texas-based law firm.

* Oct. 30, 2023: Gawlik, Chris Walsh, senior associate athletic director for internal administration and wellness, and Blaine Eckles, dean of students, meet with three representatives from the team. They decline to hear specifics of the players' complaints, citing a desire to keep the outsourced investigation “pristine.”

* Dec. 13, 2023: An attorney from Thompson & Horton meets with players for the first time.

* Dec. 30, 2023: The Orange County Register publishes an investigative piece detailing the complaints against Gonzalez and the UI’s response based on interviews of current and former players, letters, emails, formal complaint documents, confidential university documents, and voice recordings.

* March 27, 2024: UI places Gonzalez on paid administrative leave on the same day Thompson & Horton releases its initial report which finds sufficient evidence that Gonzalez committed sex-based harassment, discriminated against players based on national origin, retaliated against players who reported him, and violated multiple UI policies.

* May 3, 2024: Thompson & Horton submits its final report addressing Gonzalez’s misconduct related to activities within the OCRI’s jurisdiction (limited to acts of discrimination based on sex, race, nationality, etc.). The law firm promises to release a second report addressing allegations of additional misconduct that is not discrimination-based.

* May 31, 2024: Gonzalez resigns. UI issues a news release saying, “With his resignation, the investigation stops, and no further action will be taken.”

Thus providing a satisfactory ending to this whole mess ... said no one ever.

Formally severing ties with Gonzalez (through his voluntary resignation or other means) should have been one step in a series of actions taken by the University of Idaho, not the only action taken, and passively at that.

There are a few possibilities here. One, UI really believes it already has the proper safeguards in place, that this issue was handled appropriately, and that justice was served. If that is the case, university leadership should call me because I’ve got some oceanfront property in Latah County and an online university I’d like to sell to them.

Another possibility is UI knows this was massively bungled. It might even be working feverishly behind the scenes to diagnose where things went so very wrong, maybe even making changes at a lightning speed to ensure things can never get this out of control again.

If that is indeed the case, may I remind the university of the mantra of my generation: Pics or it never happened.

In other words, own up to your mistakes and prove that you’re doing something about it.

If like me you aren’t holding your breath for such actions from leadership of our beloved local university, might I recommend at least one gesture we can individually take to collectively send a message.

Go to uidaho.edu/general-counsel/public-record-request and, through the online form, request a copy of the 59-page final OCRI report, written by Holly McIntush, dated May 3, 2024, and titled “University of Idaho, Final Investigation Report, Vandal Volleyball Program.” The more of us who request a copy of this public document, the louder we’re saying that how the university handled this issue matters.

UI claims this matter is closed. If the university wants to regain our trust, it needs to open it back up immediately and, with transparency, giving it the attention and gravity it has deserved since the beginning.

Stellmon set sail for a three-hour tour of the Palouse in 2001. She is now happily marooned in Moscow with her spouse and five children.