It’s getting harder and harder to be proud to be a Rutgers alumni these days. It seems New Jersey’s state University only grabs national headlines for something incredibly negative.
Three years ago, it was the tragic case of freshman Tyler Clementi who leaped to his death from the GW bridge after being secretly taped by his roommate. Now this Monday’s release of video of Rutgers men’s basketball practices showing coach Mike Rice physically abusing players, throwing balls at them and yelling profanities and homophobic slurs. But it took more than four months after first having the video brought to his attention and not until ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” aired the video publicly and the outcry on social media and from public figures and NBA stars began, did Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti finally fire coach Rice.
Rutgers needs to stop the negative press, now. In it’s tracks. New president Robert Barchi, who has been in place since September 2012, needs to take control of this situation immediately. He no longer can let Pernetti be the face of Rutgers. With the nation looking at the university, Barchi needs to be the face and voice of Rutgers. He needs to make big moves. Needs to unfortunately let Pernetti go. Pernetti was integral in getting Rutgers accepted into the lucrative Big 10 conference for the 2014 season but it was his decision alone four months ago to try to “rehabilitate” coach Rice, who at the time he had suspended merely 3 games for the abusive actions witnessed on video.
Wednesday, Pernetti said he wants to “regain the trust of the Rutgers community.” He can’t. And President Barchi hopefully won’t give him the opportunity too. With the move to the Big 10 looming and the decision to hire a new coach now an immediate concern, the department needs a new direction. It starts with the hiring of a new athletic director and his hiring of a new coach to lead this team, these kids, this university. Rutgers should look big. Look to the NBA ranks for a new, respected voice and coach. Do something to make the alumni and students proud.
Michael Jacobowitz is a Rutgers University c/o 2001 graduate and Associate News Editor at the NY Post.