The University of Florida released a statement in response to bias accusations in Antonio Callaway’s sexual assault case:

“The University of Florida is prohibited to comment on the existence or substance of student disciplinary matters under state and federal law.

“However, I can tell you that our student conduct process may be handled by a hearing officer, who could be a university employee or an outside professional, or by a committee of faculty and students.

“Any hearing officer and all committee members are trained and vetted for their impartiality. A hearing officer or committee member would not be disqualified or lack objectivity simply because he or she had been a student athlete decades earlier or purchases athletic tickets as more than 90,000 people do each year.”

The University of Florida notified the complaint’s attorney, John Clune, Friday that a third party, Jacksonville attorney and Gators booster Jake Schickel, would preside over the hearing. Schickel has donated at least $6,800 to UF’s athletic department, which includes thousands for the football program, the Times reported based on the Gators Boosters’ 2014-15 athletic year-in-review document.

Clune told ESPN that his client will boycott the Title IX hearing and accused Schickel’s ties to the program as a conflict of interest given Callaway’s status on the team. The sophomore led the Gators with 678 yards and four touchdowns on 35 receptions in 2015.