SEATTLE -- University of Washington athletic director Barbara Hedges said Friday that she has received a nine-month contract extension.

Hedges' $255,000. contract extension, signed Oct. 1, runs through June 30, 2004.

The contract was first reported by The News Tribune of Tacoma in Thursday's editions.

Hedges, 66, has been under severe criticism because of several high-profile problems in the athletic department.

"I think the next question is: Where do we go from here?" Hedges told The Associated Press on Friday. "When I'm ready to talk about my future at the university, I will. But this isn't the appropriate time right now."

In the past, though, Hedges has said she didn't want to retire.

"We have a number of issues we're trying to deal with right now," she told the AP. "Those issues are far more important than a contract for Barbara Hedges. But I've always said I love the university and enjoy my job very much."

The issues that Hedges and other UW officials are attempting to solve include the aftermath of firing Huskies football coach Rick Neuheisel by Hedges just before the season began. Neuheisel was replaced as the head coach by offensive coordinator Keith Gilbertson.

Neuheisel has sued the university and the NCAA, alleging breach of contract by the school and accusing NCAA officials of defamation, conspiracy and wrongly interfering with his job.

In addition, state and federal authorities have begun a joint criminal investigation of a former UW team doctor who admitted improperly handing out thousands of doses of prescription drugs.

In a sworn statement given to the state Medical Quality Assurance Commission, Dr. William Scheyer admitted prescribing thousands of doses of narcotic painkillers, sedatives and tranquilizers for a Huskies softball player, a former Washington athletic trainer and a U.S. Olympic softball team trainer.

UW vice president for external affairs Norm Arkans gave Hedges her contract extension. He did not return calls from The AP Friday.

Arkans and Hedges, who is in her 13th year at the UW, were working on a three-year extension of her previous four-year contract that expired June 30 before the Neuheisel controversy began in early June.

Under terms of the contract that was signed by UW interim president Lee Huntsman, Hedges received a 2 percent raise retroactive to Aug. 1. The contract also was signed by Karin Nyrop, an assistant attorney general.