Northwestern has fired coach Pat Fitzgerald

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#726      

Thaillini22

Thaillini22
Thaillini22
Konnie said:
Here is a good article about the Northwestern leadership or lack thereof -- https://www.si.com/college/2023/07/26/northwestern-interim-coach-david-braun-big-ten-media-days

It is amazing how the AD and university President have become invisible as this issue has evolved.
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Interesting how SI says Braun "absolutely won the press conference," but CST asks "How tone deaf is this guy?" for apparently not showing sufficient compassion to the alleged victims or condemning the hazing.

I think he was put in a very difficult position, obviously, probably with much conflicting "advice" in his head. If one were so inclined and skeptical/cynical enough, one could read his "I'm outside of my comfort zone" comments as "I realize I'm something like a patsy here."

The thing that is so disheartening -- yet less and less surprising as the culture regresses -- is the lack of integrity and straightforwardness from the President and AD.

Is literally everyone in positions of power a spineless selfish a$$hole nowadays? Does nobody have courage in their convictions (or are we to assume the "leaders" at NU don't find the allegations serious)?

I really like our AD and FB coach.
 
#728      

altgeld88

altgeld88
Arlington, Virginia
altgeld88
Thaillini22 said:
Is literally everyone in positions of power a spineless selfish a$$hole nowadays? Does nobody have courage in their convictions (or are we to assume the "leaders" at NU don't find the allegations serious)?
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For the most part. The leadership of nearly all institutions have been corrupted at this point.

Don't be too hard on university administrations, however; their leadership has historically been spineless, with the odd exception, for many decades. Nothing new.

I'm warming to Schill's bloodless handling of this matter (or matters plural). He's simply the new facilities supervisor, delegating the cleaning up of this mess to a team of janitors in his employ. He'll likely continue to keep clear of speaking about it publicly, if he can. NU needs a new shiny object with which to distract its donors and the public.
 
#729      

Moe Bias

M
Moe Bias

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#730      

purcy51

P
Nappanee, IN
purcy51
Thaillini22 said:
Is literally everyone in positions of power a spineless selfish a$$hole nowadays? Does nobody have courage in their convictions (or are we to assume the "leaders" at NU don't find the allegations serious)?
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The cynic in me says yes, and that it is the result of corporatising E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. There as so many faceless & impersonal financial streams feeding the beast its nearly impossible to stop. And perhaps nearly as impossible to stand up and do what is right rather than what the current corporate/cultural mindset tells one to do.

The idealist in me says all we need is one person to step up and effectively lead in a situation such as this and we'll turn the tide.

I'm hoping the idealist is right.
 
#731      

GForce

GForce
GForce
purcy51 said:
The cynic in me says yes, and that it is the result of corporatising E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. There as so many faceless & impersonal financial streams feeding the beast its nearly impossible to stop. And perhaps nearly as impossible to stand up and do what is right rather than what the current corporate/cultural mindset tells one to do.

The idealist in me says all we need is one person to step up and effectively lead in a situation such as this and we'll turn the tide.

I'm hoping the idealist is right.
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Sadly agree. I would add that college presidents are more like asset managers or corporate execs than stewards of higher education as in days of yore. They need to keep the beast fed and the spigot flowing. They're not hired for their principles.
 
#734      

ChiefGritty

ChiefGritty
Chicago, IL
ChiefGritty
GForce said:
Sadly agree. I would add that college presidents are more like asset managers or corporate execs than stewards of higher education as in days of yore.
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A direct result of the Universities themselves being more like hedge funds or corporations than the academic environments of yore.

There are advantages to that, a deep understanding of efficiency and a willingness to embrace change.

But the negatives of a reflexively goldfish-brained short term mindset and a willingness to destroy things, to "move fast and break stuff" outweighs those positives, especially when you're not a tech startup bro, but the steward of a centuries-old institution.

The cliche about people who know "the price of everything and the value of nothing" is nail-on-head about American business/executive/leadership culture.
 
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