Report: Duke Head Coach Kara Lawson Could Remain as a Trustee at Tennessee

Kara Lawson is known as one of the best players to ever step foot in Thompson-Boling Arena. She was a legend amongst legends; helping the Volunteers reach 3 final fours during her college days before transitioning to NBA waters for a 12-year career. Her legacy as a Lady Vol was cemented in 2018 after she was appointed as a trustee for the university that she gave her all on the court for.

It was recently announced that Lawson would be hired as the 7th head women’s basketball coach at Duke, which put her role as a trustee into jeopardy. However, according to a report from Monica Kast of Knox News, Lawson could potentially keep her position as a trustee despite her new opportunity as a Blue Devil.

The report reveals that while Duke does have a conflict of interest policy, it does not prevent Lawson — or any other employee — from serving as a trustee at another institution. “Duke’s conflict of interest policy does not prohibit employees to serve on the board of another institution,” wrote senior athletic director Art Chase in an email to Kast. In other words, the ball is now in Tennessee’s court, as Lawson will be permitted by Duke to remain in her role as a trustee as long as the Vols allow it.

The news comes as Lawson has made headlines over the past few weeks for calling out the University of Tennessee’s Athletic Department for its lack of diversity. “I would encourage all members of the board — the chancellors and the president — to look at the diversity, or lack thereof, of the senior staffs of our athletic department,” said Lawson back in June. “It’s not just striking, there isn’t any.”

“When I look at my alma mater, Knoxville, there is not a single African-American (head) coach at that institution,” continued Lawson. “That’s not the same for the majority of the SEC.”

There has been no announcement from the University of Tennessee on whether Lawson will retain her position as a trustee or not, but the program does still have her listed as a trustee on their website for what it’s worth.

This article will be updated if any additional details regarding this story unfold.