HARTFORD, CT (AP) -- Binghamton University is skipping the America East Conference's basketball luncheon at the Connecticut State Capitol Building in Hartford.

Interim athletic director James Norris says there's been so much focus on the travails of the men's program in the past few weeks the university felt the event Wednesday should belong to the other 17 schools in the conference.

The basketball program has been reeling with the dismissals of six players, one after an arrest on cocaine charges, and the suspension of head coach Kevin Broadus after a recruiting violation. The athletics department has also been hit with a sexual harassment suit against two athletics officials and two boosters and allegations by an adjunct lecturer that she was pressured to give preferential treatment to athletes.

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