Louis P. Camjudgesli v. Robert L. Bockrath, and Daniel Boggan

In 1993, appellant Louis Campanelli was fired from his job as head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of California at Berkeley. In this action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 , he claims that two University officials, Robert Bockrath and Daniel Bog-gan, deprived him of his liberty interest without due process by making negative public statements regarding his termination. The district court dismissed Campanelli’s complaint for failure to state a claim on which relief may be granted. Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). The question on appeal is whether Campanelli has sufficiently alleged the elements of a due process violation.

I

In his complaint, Campanelli alleges the following: On February-8, 1993, about midway through the college basketball season, Louis Campanelli was fired from his job as head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of California at Berkeley. Pursuant to the terms of Campanelli’s employment contract with the University, then-Athletic Director Robert Bockrath recommended Campanelli’s termination and Vice-Chancellor Daniel Boggan, acting on Bock-rath’s recommendation and on behalf of the University regents, effected the termination. At the time of…