GAINESVILLE, Fla.

1. For the second time in a year and a half, University of Florida President John Lombardi is defending alleged inappropriate comments, this time after two consultants evaluating the Levin College of Law said Lombardi "erupted in a rage" while they presented their recommendations.

2. Michael Sharlot, dean of the University of Texas at Austin law school, and Judith Wegner, dean of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill law school, visited UF on Oct. 8 and 9 as part of a standard college "program review," which is conducted about every five years under a Board of Regents mandate.

3. A month after they left, Sharlot and Wegner wrote a seven-page letter to Vice Chancellor James Mau, describing their experiences with Lombardi. Calling UF's ninth president an "immature bully" who acted with "gross discourtesy," the pair gave a vividly negative evaluation of Lombardi's character.

4. "With an anger seemingly uncontrolled, and contempt unconcealed, the president leaned forward and launched into a stream of vituperation charging the consultants were utterly misinformed, had made charges without any basis and were merely tools in the law school's improper - but transparent - efforts to increase its budget," their letter, released last week, said.

5. The accusations come as the Board of Regents is preparing to complete Lombardi's annual evaluation this fall. The effect of the letter on the evaluation, however, is uncertain.

6. Lombardi, who for a week has declined to comment on the letter, explained Monday there was disagreement over the consultants' claims that UF's Bank system of funding shortchanges the law school. But Lombardi, who was under fire in January 1998 for calling State University System Chancellor Adam Herbert an "Oreo," said the October encounter was not as heated as Sharlot and Wegner claim.

7. In their letter, the consultants said that because the Bank - a financial incentive system for UF's colleges - weighs smaller classes more than larger classes, the necessity of large introductory law courses meant the school was not receiving its fair share of funding.

8. Lombardi said Monday that the Bank measures a college's improvement from previous years and compares it against similar programs throughout the country to determine funding.

9. The confusion, Lombardi said, occurred because the two deans did not spend enough time on campus to write an accurate recommendation.

10. "They expressed a series of opinions we did not feel were justified, and they didn't take too kindly to our disagreement," he said. "I'm kind of disappointed that their professionalism slipped a little bit in the writing of their letter."

11. Provost Betty Capaldi and Board of Regents staff member Gita Pitter were also at the meeting on Oct. 9.

12. Pitter and Wegner refused to comment on the situation, and Sharlot did not return calls.

13. Capaldi, however, said Lombardi did not act inappropriately.

14. "I would not describe it as an outburst. He didn't abuse anybody," she said. "We actually went through the whole rest of the agenda and shook hands when it was over. We didn't hug and kiss, but ... he dealt with them quite professionally."

15. Herbert dealt with the deans' letter, sent Nov. 9, internally until it was uncovered by the St. Petersburg Times during the inter-session break. The 14 members of the board were not aware of the letter until last week either.

16. Herbert said he will address the issue in Lombardi's annual evaluation, which will be completed this Fall.

17. "I have discussed the issue with President Lombardi and ... expressed my concerns about the situation," Herbert said. "I chose not to report this matter to members of the Board of Regents outside of the broader context of the overall annual evaluation Dr. Lombardi will receive in the Fall of this year."

18. Lombardi also sent a letter to Mau regarding the meeting, in which he said the consultants "ended up in a number of instances injecting evaluations into on-campus discussions the context of which they did not fully understand."

19. He also criticized the current "program review" procedure.

20. "This kind of review is not helpful. It does not help us improve the quality of our College of Law, and it creates more problems than it resolves."

21. Regent Jon Moyle of West Palm Beach said he wants to wait for more information before coming to a conclusion about the events and how they should reflect upon Lombardi's outspoken presidency, which has included other tussles with the Regents.

22. "I hesitate to be judgmental, but the whole situation greatly concerns me," Moyle said.

23. Regent Welcom Watson said the incident might have just been an accidental slip-up by Lombardi.

24. "To run a big university is a big job. I know I've said things sometimes I wish I didn't," Watson said. "But he's got a big university and I think he's doing a good job."

    DRIVEN BY EMOTION

25. Lombardi said whatever emotion he displayed in October when speaking with Sharlot and Wegner only demonstrated his love for UF and passion to improve the school.

26. The emotion, he said, comes from "being Gator-ized" for so long.

27. "I'm as tenacious about defending the University of Florida as anyone," he said. "I'd like to say I was cool and collected at all times, but it's hard not to get emotional when people attack this institution."

28. Brian Burgoon, student body president in 1996-97, said Lombardi holds steadfast to his beliefs -- a quality that can carry the potential for controversy when it comes to how those beliefs are expressed.

29. "Dr. Lombardi is ... very knowledgeable about a lot of things, and I think with that comes probably an internal sense that he knows what he's talking about," he said. "It's very hard to sway his opinion ... because he's not willing to change his mind on things. But he does listen. I don't think I'd ever characterize him as a bully - he just knows what he believes and sticks to it."

30. Sharlot and Wegner also accused Lombardi of speaking "in openly hostile terms toward the law school and specifically its faculty."

31. Lombardi denied the accusation, saying, "I don't know where they got that idea. I've always been very supportive of the College of Law."

    PAST CONTROVERSY

32. This incident, however, is just the latest in a string of actions that has left Lombardi again at odds with members of the SUS.

33. Most recently, in December 1997, Lombardi called Herbert an "Oreo" at a party at his home - later describing the term as a person "who's black and can operate in a white world."

34. Talks of a forced resignation for Lombardi brought out support from various people in the area, including Student Government leaders and prominent alumni such as former UF President Stephen C. O'Connell.

35. The incident turned positive for Lombardi, who held up his fingers in a 'V' sign for victory at a 2,000-person rally at his home.

36. John McGovern, former student body president and Student Senate president at the time of the rally, said students should look at the overall picture before passing judgement on Lombardi.

37. "There's been maybe three incidents - that's three bad days out of about 3,000 days," he said. "We as students owe this president the benefit of the doubt."

38. Matt Heekin, a former student senator who was the only one not to vote in favor of a resolution supporting Lombardi during the Oreo incident, said the recent events are "not surprising."

39. "I didn't believe in (the Oreo) instance he was in the right," said Heekin, whose father -- Regent James Heekin, criticized Lombardi in 1995 after he sent a proposal to the Legislature without the Regents' permission.

40. "I think it was hypocrisy to support him," Matt Heekin said about the Oreo incident.

41. Lombardi's direct comments have left him open for criticism before.

42. In 1996, Lombardi called a Regents proposal to restrict statewide university expansion "stupid" and "typical of this idiotic system."

43. And in 1997, Lombardi told a gathering of journalists that Florida's "Government in the Sunshine" public records laws are a "crutch for news people who are lazy."

44. McGovern said some of what people consider "inappropriate" is just Lombardi's style.

45. "He doesn't sugar-coat or pay lip service to things he doesn't believe in," McGovern said. "If nothing else, no one questions that John Lombardi tells it like it is."