Should Rutgers President and Athletic Director Resign After Coach Rice Scandal?
Barchi and Pernetti
Rutgers faculty, government officials, members of the public (and DiversityInc readers) are demanding answers to the Rutgers University basketball scandal involving physical abuse and homophobic slurs—and some are asking for the resignation of Athletic Director Tim Pernetti and Rutgers President Dr. Robert Barchi.
Basketball Coach Mike Rice was fired yesterday after video of his actions surfaced. But when Pernetti first saw the video in November, he gave Rice a slap on the wrist and allowed him to continue coaching the men’s basketball team. Because he was not fired at the time and completed the season, Rice will be paid a $100,000 bonus.
The controversy surfaced Tuesday night after ESPN aired video that showcased Rice in a rage, kicking and shoving students, throwing basketballs at their heads from close range, and using hateful, homophobic slurs like “f—-t” to degrade them. Pernetti admittedly saw the video, and similar clips, in November, as did internal and external counsel. Some reports said Barchi also had seen any video, but a Rutgers statement yesterday implied he was aware of Rice’s actions but never saw the video until Tuesday. In November, Rice was suspended for three games, fined $50,000 and required to receive anger-management counseling.
DiversityInc CEO Luke Visconti, a member of the Rutgers Board of Trustees and of the Rutgers Board of Governors Standing Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics, said he was never informed about Rice’s anti-gay slurs or the fact that the video existed. Visconti says he had been told there was a disciplinary issue, which was addressed with the suspension.
Where’s the Accountability for Leadership?
“I am responsible for the decision to attempt a rehabilitation of Coach Rice,” said Pernetti. “Dismissal and corrective action were debated in December, and I thought it was in the best interest of everyone to rehabilitate, but I was wrong. Moving forward, I will work to regain the trust of the Rutgers community.”
Although Dr. Barchi said he did not see the video until this week, he is under scrutiny for not taking a more proactive role when Pernetti approached him about the need for disciplinary action against Rice. According to the New Jersey Star-Ledger:
Barchi never asked to see the video. … It wasn’t until late Tuesday that Barchi finally watched a DVD of the excerpts with Pernetti on the Piscataway campus. Amid growing outrage and calls from the governor to fire the embattled coach, the university president finally changed his mind about Rice, according to interviews with Rutgers officials.
Many are calling for the resignation of Pernetti, including DiversityInc readers, who responded to our initial coverage in “Why Did Rutgers Wait to Fire Coach After Anti-Gay and Abusive Actions?” For example:
- Due to their failures, university President Dr. Robert Barchi and Athletic Director Tim Pernetti should now be fired—especially Pernetti.
- Pernetti stating “Moving forward, I will work to regain the trust of the Rutgers community” is insufficient. He should not be given that opportunity to work to rebuild trust—he failed in his insufficient response to the long term misbehavior of his subordinate.
- I would guess that if Barchi and Pernetti had heard the coach use the n-word or the c-word to demean the school’s student players instead of antigay f-word pejorative the coach actually used, likely a fine, a three-day suspension, and an anger management class wouldn’t have even been considered adequate at all. I don’t see the difference between using a racist pejoratives, sexist pejorative, and anti-gay pejoratives: all pejoratives demean not only those who the terms are used against, but also demean known minority populations. Use of pejoratives by people drawing salary from the university shouldn’t be tolerated at all by the university’s management.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said he was “deeply disturbed” by Rice’s actions and expects Rutgers’ administration to provide a full explanation “as to why Mr. Rice was not dismissed sooner and how exactly that decision was made. If answers aren’t forthcoming, we are prepared to do what’s needed to get them for the people of New Jersey.”
3:12 pm
The actions of Mike Rice [he doesn't deserve the respect of being called Coach] was deploreable.
Having played colleged basketball, I understand intensity, but this was abuse and bigotry. It simply has not place in sports. Since Rutger’s AD and President apparently did not care enough about the welfare of its student – athlete’s, I feel they should resign. While the young men under their charge might be physically imposing, they are still kids and should have been protected.
4:02 pm
They all should be fired – I am a graduate – am I am embarrassed over this action. Besides the fact my tax money is paying for these idiots.
5:05 pm
“Should Rutgers President and Athletic Director Resign After Coach Rice Scandal?”
If this incident causes them to believe that they have irrevocably besmirched themselves and the university, they should resign.
If this incident is indicative of their respective judgement, they should be fired.
5:37 pm
Why are we still asking these question? I am a former college employee and am aware of how much Athletic Directors salaries cost Universities and Colleges. They also bring in a lot of money into Universities so much is overlooked; so they don’t care. Athletes are expendable, another group will be coming next year!
I actually emailed the A.D.(knowing I wouldn’t be contacted back) and asked how could he do this? The well-being of the athletes in his care should not be overlooked. Have we not forgotten Penn State and Coach Paterno and Coach Paterno. Obviously NOT!
2:07 am
They all should be terminted. This is Penn State all over again. School trying to keep something horrible hush hush while these administrators still earn a check!
10:53 am
This is an utterly embarassing situation that disgraces an otherwise fine University. I agree that whomever knew about this behavior and acted (or failed to act)to disregard it or hide it should be fired. And I must say, I have real questions about the Board’s role in this. I read Luke’s articles week after week, in which he skewers business leaders over ethical issues that surface in their organizations, often blaming them for not having perfect knowledge and demanding their heads. Clearly from this article, he and his fellow Board members were aware of behavior and performance issues prior to this dismissal, and according to his quote, he simply accepted a generic explanation that all is okay. Given Luke’s self-annointment as the standard bearer for all things diversity, why did he apparently not ask more questions (or deal with what he knew)about this earlier and assist the University in resolving it. I too serve on organization boards and fully understand the potential legal risks and exposures of such service. It is very tempting in the face of adversity to limit what you know in order to avoid personal exposure. Given the rash of recent simiar disasters at Arkansas and Penn State, why did Luke and the Board not take this more seriously earlier. Rather than position this article in the context of “what everyone else is saying about this” I would like to hear more about what Luke Visconti knew and has to say about it.
2:01 pm
And I hope you’re having a nice day, too.
I’d appreciate it if you took the time to read the articles—and my quotes in them—and my responses to reader comments before you tee off on me.
We were not notified of Rice’s behavior issues prior to the December meeting of the Athletic Committee. At that meeting we were given a description of behavior that did not rise to the level of firing Rice. We were not told of any video evidence. You’re absolutely wrong about legal risks—you cannot avoid fault by joining in collusion to avoid discovery of information. When information is excluded or obfuscated, then the board needs to hold the administration accountable. I have already asked for an accounting of why we were not given the entire story and have offered advice to get past this situation: In my opinion, the President needed to own the situation, express deep remorse, offer a heartfelt apology and announce steps to rebuild trust. I have not received a single response or other message from the President and have received only a couple of emails from the Secretary of the university. I learned about Friday’s press conference independently.
I view this obfuscation and complete lack of communication from the President to be as serious as it gets. I’m viewing my personal responsibility to include running harshly critical articles about my own university, where I am on two boards and am a Distinguished Alumnus. I have not resigned from the board only because I plan on holding the administration fully accountable. In my opinion, that accountability does not stop at the Athletic Director, it rests with the President himself. Luke Visconti, CEO, DiversityInc