"1. Toxic Work Environment and Manipulative Leadership
Ronda, has developed a reputation among staff for manipulative and coercive tactics. She frequently uses her position of authority—particularly her influence over scholarships and salary increases—to pressure employees into compliance. This dynamic creates a culture of fear and transactional loyalty rather than one rooted in mutual respect and collaboration. Her leadership style is punitive and divisive, often pitting staff against one another.
2. Chronic Gossip and Unprofessional Communication
A consistent pattern of gossiping behind staff members’ backs has been observed. Ronda, often disparages colleagues in private conversations, fostering an atmosphere of distrust and toxicity. In particular, she is known to ridicule and speak negatively about her own supervisor, Paul, in conversations with others, notably with Tidey, with whom she maintains an unusually close and inappropriate relationship.
3. Inappropriate Relationship with Baseball Coach
There have been credible observations and reports of an ongoing personal affair between Ronda and the baseball coach, Tidey, which has resulted in both professional favoritism and unethical workplace dynamics. The alliance between the two has contributed to a bullying culture, especially as they jointly mock and belittle other staff members, including their direct supervisor, Paul.
4. Bullying and Psychological Harassment
Several staff members have reported feeling intimidated and emotionally distressed after interactions with Ronda. Her tactics include passive-aggressive communication, public undermining, and retaliation when questioned or challenged. These behaviors meet the criteria for psychological harassment and create significant barriers to a healthy work environment.
Ronda, displays behavior unfit for someone in a leadership role. Her manipulation of staff through control of financial incentives, involvement in workplace gossip and harassment, and misuse of her influence represent serious breaches of both ethical standards and professional integrity. Further, the unprofessional relationship with the baseball coach raises issues of conflict of interest and compromised judgment.
It is strongly recommended that the institution:
Conduct a formal HR investigation into these allegations.
Evaluate the impact of her leadership on departmental retention, morale, and productivity.
Consider placing Ronda on administrative leave pending investigation.
Preserving institutional trust and staff well-being requires swift, transparent action.
"
"I spent a year working under an administrator at Davenport, and unfortunately, the experience has left me with nothing but disappointment and a deep sense of betrayal. Over the course of my time there, I witnessed numerous instances of wrongdoing that were consistently ignored, covered up, or swept under the rug.
It became clear that those in charge, particularly the administration, were more focused on maintaining appearances and avoiding accountability than fostering a fair and ethical work environment. What should have been a place of growth, teamwork, and transparency was instead marred by dishonesty and a disregard for the well-being of employees.
Anyone working in this environment, especially those complicit in unethical behavior just for the sake of a paycheck, is contributing to a toxic culture that undermines trust, morale, and overall success. I would not recommend working here to anyone with a sense of integrity or a desire to make a real, positive impact. There are far better workplaces where you can grow professionally without compromising your values.
"
"It’s disheartening to witness a situation where an administrator, tasked with upholding the integrity of a collegiate athletics program, instead acts in a way that undermines fairness, accountability, and ethical standards.
The men’s golf coach (a woman) at Davenport made the responsible and difficult decision to send home players who arrived at practice intoxicated. Her actions reflected leadership and a commitment to both student well-being and the reputation of the university. Student-athletes are expected to conduct themselves with discipline and maturity, and the coach appropriately addressed behavior that clearly violated those expectations.
Rather than supporting this decision, Administrator Ronda chose to target the coach. This response is especially troubling given that one of the students involved is the son of Ronda’s best friend and a former women’s golf coach at the school. The implication of favoritism, whether intentional or not, casts a shadow over the administration’s credibility and raises serious ethical concerns.
At the collegiate level, rules must apply to all athletes equally. Protecting or excusing certain individuals due to personal relationships not only compromises the integrity of the program but also sends a damaging message to other athletes and coaches — that accountability depends on who you know, not what you do.
This situation points to a troubling pattern of unethical decision-making and a lack of support for coaches who are trying to do what’s right. Coaches should not be punished for holding their teams to basic standards of conduct, especially when safety and the university’s reputation are at stake.
Favoritism has no place in college athletics. Leadership should reflect impartiality, professionalism, and a commitment to fairness. Anything less erodes trust and weakens the values Davenport claims to uphold. Ronda pushed this amazing coach out of this position and has slandered her name every chance she gets. It seems Ronda is threatened by strong, competent woman- It must make her feel bad about all of her own weaknesses and shortcomings. Ronda went on to help coach the men’s golf program- again, slandering the previous coach (with many prestigious accolades) every chance she got.
"
"As a full-time employee at Davenport University, I’ve witnessed numerous instances of misconduct within the athletics department that have been ignored or covered up by administrators. These incidents raise serious concerns about the ethical climate and leadership accountability within the university.
Key Issues Observed:
1. Eligibility Violations in Baseball (2021): The baseball team fielded 14 ineligible players throughout the 2021 season. Rather than addressing this violation, university administrators appeared to cover it up—likely due to the team's on-field success during that time.
2. Inappropriate Relationships in Football: The football coach failed to take any action regarding a highly inappropriate relationship between a star player and a university employee. This situation was seemingly overlooked to protect athletic success.
3. Cover-ups in Basketball Programs: The men’s basketball coach and university officials did not take action in response to a scandal involving the women’s basketball coach, instead choosing to suppress the issue.
4. Toxic Culture in Baseball and Softball: The baseball coach has openly bragged about undermining the softball program and creating a hostile environment. There have also been instances of inappropriate conduct involving alcohol with student-athletes.
5. Sexual Harassment in Men’s Hockey: A serious case of sexual harassment led to a female athletic trainer leaving the university. This incident was not properly addressed or made public.
6. Unprofessional Conduct in Support Staff:
* Members of the strength and conditioning staff have fostered a toxic environment, often speaking negatively about athletes and coaches.
* Athletic trainers have provided treatment at inappropriate times and locations, raising concerns about boundaries and professionalism.
* A senior administrator, Ronda, has been repeatedly heard speaking disrespectfully about both current and former coaches, as well as student-athletes.
Conclusion:
There is a deeply troubling culture of protectionism and silence within Davenport’s athletic administration. Allegations and misconduct are routinely swept under the rug—especially when they involve high-profile coaches or athletes. Long-standing personal relationships among administrators appear to take priority over ethics, accountability, and student safety.
This environment has created a workplace where many employees feel disillusioned, undervalued, and powerless to report misconduct without fear of retaliation. For those of us who stay, it often feels like survival rather than a career.
"
"Having worked at Davenport University for three years, I’m unfortunately not surprised by the administration’s continued tolerance—and in some cases, active cover-up—of unethical behavior. One of the most egregious examples is the administration turning a blind eye to a full-time employee engaging in a relationship with a star football player.
At every other institution I've worked at, this kind of boundary violation between staff and student-athletes would be considered completely unacceptable and grounds for immediate termination. At Davenport, it seems not only tolerated but protected, likely due to the individual’s status on the football team.
This kind of behavior reflects a much deeper cultural problem within the university: the inability—or unwillingness—of leadership to uphold basic ethical standards. Instead of accountability, there’s favoritism, silence, and a disturbing lack of regard for student and staff wellbeing.
The normalization of these behaviors makes it clear that Davenport has lost sight of what’s right and wrong. For those considering employment or enrollment here, I would urge serious reflection on whether this environment aligns with your values."
"As a member of the women’s basketball team in 2022 I can’t tell you how trashy and embarrassing this administration is. I lost all respect for them as I watched them cover up what our women’s basketball coach was doing with a teammate.(having an affair) We personally tried to tell administration what was happening and members of the men’s basketball team even told their coach. They completely covered the entire thing up, protected this basketball coach and let one of the worst teammates I’ve ever had off the hook. It seems this behavior is what they reward and like at DU. It’s disgusting how they handled the entire thing, with Ronda praising our basketball coach and sending emails of praise out in this man’s departure. He was sleeping with our teammate and she was manipulating not only playing time but practice times. Davenport looks amazing on the outside but it is disgraceful on the inside. Anyone wanting to have affiliation with this place has to be a terrible person. "
"I was referred to this website by a coworker to share my experiences working in the Davenport Athletic department. Toxic is an understatement. I first hand witnessed her bully an assistant basketball coach because she told the truth of what had happened in the program and what the administration had covered up. I’ve also watched her straight about ignore reports by coaches and staff about male coworkers engaging in inappropriate behavior with female student athletes. Why she chooses and who she chooses and what she chooses to cover up is baffling to me. She frequently does not do her job and constantly cancels meetings. It seems she’s more interested in trying to look like the hero by doing other people’s jobs that she has no business doing. When problems occur the first thing she will do is offer more money. Whether that be to student athletes or employees. She tries to basically buy you to keep your mouth shut and honestly that seems to work with most people. If it doesn’t work she will do everything in her power to force you to quit your job. I’ve watched her do this with many coworkers. My overall experience working with her was very poor and I knew if I continued to work there I would turn into the toxic, fake, narcissistic, monster she is. I now work at a public university and have found just about everything that Davenport does is unethical, illegal and wrong. "
"I worked at Davenport University for 3 years. Ronda pretty much is in charge of the toxic culture that breeds gossip and talking behind others backs. She frequently talked about coworkers and coaches to me and I found it to be very unprofessional and upsetting. Many coaches are allowed to break the rules and have “star” athletes get special treatment and lesser punishments. In the athletic department it’s well known her and the baseball coach have a “special” relationship. This has led to many NCAA violations and cheating to be overlooked and allowed to continue and covered up. I know for a fact that compliance found that the baseball team illegally played 14 baseball players in a season they won the conference. A meeting was then had on how this should be handled and covered up. It’s disturbing things like this that led me to look for employment elsewhere. Blatant CHEATING is occurring at this institution for baseball, football and men’s basketball. Those are the sports I know for sure. Anyone that challenges this or has any basic integrity will be pushed out. I’ve seen it happen to many employees before me. I constantly wonder what she has on people that lets her continue to abuse people and funds. "
"Poor excuse of an administrator but after watching her coach this season I understand why she made the switch. An even trade of terrible. I’ve only worked in college athletics for 7 seasons but I can tell you I’ve never had a more terrible, back stabbing, gossip as a boss. I’ve read posts about unprofessionalism. It literally made me laugh out loud. The MOST unprofessional employee I’ve ever worked with. She really thinks she is cool is the saddest thing. "
"Consistently cancels one on one meetings and was the worst boss I’ve had in my 19 years of coaching. She is condescending, rude and consistently unprofessional. If you aren’t being the fakest tool in the tool box she will NOT like you. This will make your life a living hell. She’s only interested in engaging in arguably the most unethical behavior I’ve witnessed in my 19 years in the NCAA. She protects her “friends” and they protect her. HR is aware of a mountain of complaints about her behavior in the workplace. While working at DU many coworkers shared these same concerns and many have left due to her lack of integrity and unprofessionalism. She is the standard of what a toxic boss looks like. "
"Why such a high turnover rate in the athletic department when it comes to coaches that coach women’s sports. Look no further! Ronda is a woman hater, I’ve been telling people this for 16 years. Have to hire as many men as possible so she doesn’t feel threatened. I thought this behavior was normal when I first got into college athletics- IT IS NOT. She is a terrible human being and boss. Things are brighter for all of those that have moved on. A blessing to not spend all my hours in that hell hole of toxic people. A network has now been created of people that have worked at Davenport and have had to encounter this evil woman talk behind everyone’s back and do the most wrongful things I’ve ever encountered in an NCAA capacity. "
"As a former member of the athletic staff at DU I can tell you for certain Ronda is the most unprofessional administrator I’ve ever worked with. I’m not sure how many issues can be documented with HR about Ronda without action being done. She has been a core piece of corruption as I’ve shared my encounter of unprofessionalism with HR stemming from 2016. At her core this woman is evil. "
"Unprofessional and overall a terrible admin. Davenport University is one of the most corrupt universities in the state of Michigan. I worked at Davenport for 10 years and was personally belong side some of the most terrible human beings I’ve ever met. Everyone was very self serving and abused the funds that were being distributed in the athletic department. Anyone who works at DU that has half a brain or any integrity will eventually be a target for this toxic administration. Ronda has puppets placed throughout the department that she rewards for loyalty to her, not for loyalty of doing the right thing or having integrity. Continued dysfunction is the future of this laughable business school, that gives degrees to students that literally can’t even show up to class. Get where the world is going? Yes, choose GVSU or Ferris State!"
"For the best you stopped coaching because I got a front row seat to how terrible of a coach you are. Every coach in the conference heard your undermining comments. That’s why no one voted for Davenport kids. You. You probably don’t care at all because it’s always all about you. Very pathetic coach and person. "
"Watching you coach this year was embarrassing. I thought you were a really good coach? You managed statically to tank a team that clearly possessed more talent than previous rosters. Fitting for you fraud career to finish last in nearly every statistical category. Literally the worst season in program history in many regards, not to mention the dead last finish in the conference. I saw ages ago you had no idea what you were doing. Its hard to win when you aren't cheating huh? NCAA needs to investigate your entire department."
"Yelling and belittling from the dugout so much so other conference coaches noticed it! Talking behind our backs and stirring up drama. Mind games with playing time and who got the most time were those who sucked up to her and told her what she wanted to hear! "
"Bling bling I don’t know what you guys are teaching but you couldn’t hit. This is why I never wanted my daughter associated with you when you gave lessons! You have no idea what you’re doing. You sure like to point the finger though and criticize. "
"Great season coach! How amount of respect shown to your team not getting one all conference player!!! Not one on first or second team! That’s pretty sad! Then you gave your 2 favorites that fell in line honorable mention- that’s nice! You’re a joke coach, a literal clown! Way to make a bunch of kids way worse. My favorite is that both you and your assistant were catchers and that area of watching got progressively way worse! Congrats on getting more money though - sure you both really need it!! "
"Ronda knows Paul has been knocked in the head too many times and her and kev takes advantage of him! That’s why I left for an in conference job. Everything Davenport is unethical! They pour all their money into football and baseball and it’s wrong how they treat people!"
"The entire athletic department needs to be investigated. Ronda rewards bad behavior and covers it up. This can be seen through promotions to undeserving individuals as long as they suck up to her. It’s disgusting behavior. Ronda is a classless narcissist that manipulates people for fun. If you drink or sleep with student athletes as a coach or member of her staff you will be rewarded by her. If you don’t, she will take that as threat and do everything she can to get rid of you. Unethical and trashy institution. Interact with her one time and you will see her low level of professionalism and inappropriate personality. A disgrace to college sports!"
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