 Scott DochtermanI'm originally from Burlington, and I'm a 1997 Western Illinois University graduate. I've worked in Burlington, Muscatine, Fort Dodge and [...] |
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Big Ten’s official rules on membership and expelling a university (with Penn State poll)
Below is an excerpt of the Big Ten Handbook regarding rules and requirements for membership. These rules and bylaws are relevant to the ongoing scandal involving Penn State officials allegedly covering up details of sexual abuse by longtime assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky:
RULE 3. MEMBERSHIP
3.01 GENERAL PRINCIPLES
Only a university having full and complete faculty control of its intercollegiate athletic programs may hold membership in the Conference. Faculty control is achieved whenever authority over a university’s intercollegiate athletic programs is vested in a university agency composed entirely of faculty members or in which faculty members are in a majority.
While the Conference recognizes that final authority over all units of the member universities, including the faculties, rests in their governing bodies — trustees or regents — a member university becomes ineligible for membership in the Conference if it fails to respect the control, which it has delegated the university agency, for the university’s intercollegiate athletics programs.
The Council shall receive from the Compliance Committee any recommendation to consider suspension or termination of a member university’s Conference membership because of violations of applicable NCAA and Conference legislation on recruiting. The Council shall review the record and decision in the case, and shall hear an oral presentation by the Commissioner and the member university’s Faculty Representative or designated representative as to their views on the appropriateness of the proposed suspension or termination of Conference membership. The Council shall then issue a written decision, with a copy being sent to the Commissioner, the involved member university and each Faculty Representative and Director of Athletics.
RULE 4. ORGANIZATION
4.1 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS: COUNCIL OF PRESIDENTS/CHANCELLORS (BOARD OF DIRECTORS)
4.1.1 Composition. The Council consists of the chancellor or president of each member university, constituted for the purposes set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws. The Council meets from time to time as set forth in the Bylaws. The terms “Board of Directors” and “Council of Presidents/Chancellors” are synonymous and interchangeable.
4.1.3. Duties and Responsibilities: Matters Reserved to the Council. The following policy matters are reserved to the Council. These may take effect only upon the vote of not less than 70 percent of the entire Council: (2011-12 handbook said 60 percent but was changed to 70 percent, according to Big Ten associate commissioner for communications Scott Chipman)
- M. Admitting into membership and suspending, expelling, or placing on probation any member of the Conference.
- NOTE (1): Matters concerning admission to or expulsion from the Conference are controlled by the Council. As a matter of practice, the Council normally would expect to take such action upon the recommendations of the Commissioner, with the endorsement of the Joint Group (consists of the Faculty Representatives and the mandated members of the Administrators Council [Directors of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrators. Each institution shall have one vote.)
RULE 6. INSTITUTIONAL CONTROL
6.01.1 Institutional Responsibility for Compliance. It shall be the responsibility of each member university:
- F.4. Any member university which employs or retains on its athletic staff anyone who, upon inquiry by the Commissioner, intentionally falsifies or deliberately fails to provide complete and accurate information to the best of the individual’s knowledge, may be required to show cause why its membership in the Conference should not be suspended or terminated.
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I know I’m in the minority here, but I don’t feel like it’s the institution that needs to be punished. I think the reason we have these scandals is because we choose to punish the institutions rather than the actual perpetrators. (Example. Lane Kiffin and Company do shady things at Tennessee, then bolt for USC. UT gets stuck with sanctions; not Kiffin.)
By making an example of the PEOPLE responsible, they won’t be able to hide behind the Penn State logo and have those with zero responsibility in this mess bear the brunt of the punishment. I’d say prosecute anyone with a role in the scandal, and force the athletic department to give 30% of all revenue for the next 15 years to charities dedicated to fighting child abuse of all kinds.
I feel like the death penalty is unfair here because it wasn’t the entire department covering this thing up. This is too horrific a secret for every single person at Penn State football to keep to themselves. It just wouldn’t happen. Again, let’s focus our punishment rather than just dropping a nuclear bomb on it to make ourselves feel better.
Agreed, there’s too much bloodlust and people wanting to “torch” the whole school, regardless of collateral damage or justness of the result.
I’m ready for PSU to become independent again. I also think this shows why (anyone) adding Notre Dame would also be a risk. These schools who have a culture of autonomy and their arrogant, rabid fan bases are dangerous. I half regret Nebraska joining too, because the culture at that school is shockingly similar to that at PSU. All those schools will sing the song of academic seriousness — and they are serious — but at all of them at the end of the day, sports, and football in particular are the tail wagging the dog.
If this scandal happened in the Developmental Psychology Dept. at Penn State, they would shut down that department in 5 minutes.