HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) The arbitrator in the dispute between UConn and Kevin Ollie has ruled that the former basketball coach is protected by a union contract when it comes to the standard the school must meet in proving his firing was justified.

The collective bargaining agreement between the school and the American Association of University Professors, of which Ollie is a member, requires a showing of serious misconduct in order to fire an employee for "just cause" and also affords Ollie other union protections

UConn had argued that Ollie's personal contract superseded the union deal, allowing it to fire him in March, 2018 for a broader range of offenses.