As Rutgers Alum Sam Stitt goes for Olympic gold, Tricky Dick McCormick is living down to his reputation in appointing a committee to “review intercollegiate athletics” at Rutgers. “Whitewash” is the first word that comes to mind. However, one has to wonder whether even the other Tricky Dick (Nixon) would have been foolish enough to appoint former university governor/chairman, Al Gamper, to co-chair a committee reviewing events of Mr. Gamper’s own board tenure. Even the big audit firms can’t do that anymore.
Where are Woodward & Bernstein when you need them most? Has anyone researched what went on at CIT Group under Mr. Gamper’s watch? Tricky Dick gave Mr. Gamper an honorary Rutgers’ doctorate last year – what’s he going to do for him this year – put him in the Hall of Not-So-Distinguished Alumni with such luminaries as Ron Giaconia and Wayne Bryant?
In light of the State Commission of Investigation’s findings, in light of the side payments and other undisclosed deals for athletic staff and others, in light of the stadium financing debacle, in light of the ever increasing tuition and student fees, in light of the elimination of established and valuable programs, serious action must immedately be taken.
The State Commission of Investigation’s recommendations must be implemented. The “Rutgers Statute” must be significantly amended or eliminated to make Rutgers answerable to the people of New Jersey through the Legislature and Governor – after all, the people of New Jersey are paying for Rutgers with their taxes, tuition, fees, donations and football ticket purchases. Rutgers must be brought into the fold of other New Jersey higher educational institutions. Rutgers is unique, so is the College of New Jersesy, so is Stockton etc. Uniqueness is no excuse for lack of accountability. New Jersey residents cannot afford another UMDNJ disaster.
Hopefully respected members of the committee will enhance their reputations by doing what is necessary – those who have made Rutgers their private fiefdom while everyone else was watching football must be stopped. If they are unable or unwilling to do this, they should resign their positions or risk being tarred with the whitewash brush.