After expressing discontent with University athletic policies and finances, one former Pitt Board of Trustees member is taking legal action against the Board’s alleged attempts to prevent him from accessing information. 

Emeritus Board of Trustees member John Pelusi has filed a lawsuit against the Board of Trustees and Chairperson John Verbanac, alleging he was denied access to information related to University policies like Name, Image and Likeness and the firing of former Pitt Athletic Director Heather Lyke.

Pelusi served as a voting trustee on the board for over 30 years as one of 26 voting members before transitioning to his role as an Emeritus Trustee. He was temporarily suspended on Nov. 4, 2024 so Board leadership could schedule a meeting with Pelusi to discuss their concerns. According to court documents, Pelusi has donated millions of dollars to Pitt and helped the University save money due to his “financial and real estate expertise.”

In his complaint, Pelusi said he was “silenced as a trustee, cut off from board-related information” and barred from trustee meetings following “unlawful and retaliatory conduct” by Verbanac.

University spokesperson Jared Stonesifer said the allegations imposed by Pelusi “do not accurately describe the situation,” as Pelusi was not removed from the Board.

“After consulting with members of the Board’s Governance, Nominating, and Trusteeship Committee, the decision was made to temporarily suspend Mr. Pelusi’s privileges to attend meetings as an observer, pending a conversation between Mr. Pelusi and Board leadership about his new role as an Emeritus Trustee, to which he transitioned in July 2024,” Stonesifer said.

Stonesifer said that Board leadership attempted to meet with Pelusi to explain that Emeritus Trustees are not given “oversight and management duties” like active members are, but were unsuccessful. 

“Board leadership repeatedly attempted to meet with Mr. Pelusi about his obligations and to further explain his limited role as an Emeritus Trustee,” Stonesifer said. “They were instead met with this court action that is unnecessary, counterproductive and meritless.”

Anthony Cillo, an attorney representing Verbanac and the Board of Trustees in the case, said Pelusi’s role as an Emeritus Trustee involves observing meetings without the opportunity to have input. According to Cillo, Pelusi and all other Emeritus Trustees have the right to observe Board meetings with the approval of the Board chair without a “guaranteed right” to participate in meetings. 

Cillo said the Board made the decision to temporarily suspend Pelusi from meetings after he “acted as if he is still a voting member.”

“As a result of Mr. Pelusi’s conduct as outlined in the Answer and New Matter filed in response to Mr. Pelusi’s complaint, the Board Chair exercised his discretion by temporarily suspending Mr. Pelusi from attending Board meetings until a meeting could be scheduled with him to discuss his new role on the Board,” Cillo said. 

Pelusi is currently seeking an injunction that will allow him to participate as a board member and obtain board documents related to finances and management. A hearing will be held in the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas on Feb. 3 to determine Pelusi’s rights as a board member.