mrs.cos Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/public/2013/06/ohio-state-president-gee.html Comments: 0 Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee said this afternoon that he plans to retire on July 1, following the latest in a series of verbal gaffes that he said were meant as harmless jokes but ended up embarrassing the university. The two-time Ohio State president will make his announcement this afternoon in an email to students, faculty and staff. “Without question, the university has achieved remarkable success, and it has been my honor and calling to lead it,” Gee’s email says. “Ohio State is well-positioned for the future. I love this university, and my relationship with it will continue.” Gee has served as Ohio State’s president for two terms, from 1990 to 97 and 2007 to now. OSU’s former Provost Joseph A. Alutto has agreed to step into the position temporarily until the Ohio State board of trustees can find a suitable replacement. He previously served as interim president in 2007. Late last month, month, the Columbus Board of Education met privately to discuss hiring Alutto to become acting superintendent, replacing Gene Harris at the end of next month. After a week of apologizing to people he offended with jokes bout Catholics, other universities and a rival athletic conference, Gee announced yesterday that he was backing out of giving Saturday’s commencement speech at St. Francis DeSales, a Catholic high school on the North Side on Monday OSU spokeswoman Gayle Saunders said “he really wants to ensure that the appropriate focus was kept on the young people who are graduating,” and presumably not him. Last week Gee apologized to the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors and several others for making the hurtful remarks at a December meeting of the Ohio State Athletics Council. During the meeting, he referred to “those damn Catholics” and joked that priests at Notre Dame are holy on Sunday but “holy hell” the rest of the week. He also suggested that the University of Louisville has poor academic integrity and that those in the Southern Conference can’t read or write. He also took jabs at schools, such as the University of Cincinnati, that he said are unworthy of joining the Big Ten. After Gee’s December comments, Ohio State trustees met in private on January 31 and March 8 to discuss a remediation plan that directs Gee to scale back on his public speeches. The board also said the university should hire a “coach” to help Gee do his job, an interesting proposition considering that Gee accepted an award from the American Council on Education in March for his years of dedication as a mentor and coach for several prospective future college leaders. University officials say the board never took any public action at either of the meetings, but two days after the last one, two trustees sent Gee a letter outlining the plan. In a statement last week, OSU board chairman Robert H. Schottenstein said “the board took swift action” and “has met with President Gee at length to discuss the ramifications of his statements and develop a plan that addresses these missteps.” But this past Monday, OSU spokeswoman Gayle Sauders said “the conversations between members of the board and President Gee, as well as specific details regarding the president’s progress on his remediation plan, are private personnel matters.” She declined to say why the university believes the information is private. Throughout his apologies, Gee has maintained that the comments were meant to break the tension and were a “poor attempt at humor” that ended up having the opposite effect. In release this afternoon, Gee said “I recently returned from a vacation with my family, during which time I had a chance to consider the university’s phenomenal achievements and the road that lies ahead for it,” He said the university has a richness of new opportunities that most universities would envy. “During my days away, I also spent some time in self-reflection. And after much deliberation, I have decided it is now time for me to turn over the reigns of leadership to allow the seeds that we have planted to grow,” he said. “It is also time for me to reenergize and refocus myself.” Trustees called Gee an extraordinary leader who has raised Ohio State’s profile and enhanced the university’s academic profile by making it a highly-selective, top-tier research institution. “By any measure, Gordon has been a transformational leader for Ohio State. His service to Ohio State has been superb. This man has been an inspiration to many people, including me, and we all are forever grateful for his friendship, board chairman Robert H. Schottenstein said. Schottenstein said he met with Gee about his decision this morning. “As we go forward, the University Board will work in close partnership with Dr. Gee and Dr. Alutto through this period to continue the tremendous success and growth we have seen under his leadership. Political correctness gone a little too far inmho. Im Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buck531 Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 Too many rustled jimmies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICEMAN1647545504 Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 Freedom of speach... What a joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverMaker Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 I am sure he is wiping his tears with $100 bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimTaylor751647545500 Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 (edited) Guy is a class act. Having met him a few times and talking to him during the build of the cornhole set for him, I can think of nothing negative to say about the guy. He's done so much for Ohio State and this city that many will continue to support him and be inspired by him. I was honored to build these for his personal use. Edited June 4, 2013 by TimTaylor75 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinwebb Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 All this because of some butthurt Catholics? Sigh, people need to lighten up nothing is that serious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 Crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putty Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 He was forced out. Retire my ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sol740 Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 Notch one up for politically correct pansies. Did I just offend the gays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farkas Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 Catholics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRocket1647545505 Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 Did I just offend the gays? No. Just the faggots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted June 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 All this because of some butthurt Catholics? Sigh, people need to lighten up nothing is that serious. Actually... The Catholics weren't butt hurt at all- they even sent a letter stating they knew he was just joking around and wasn't a jerk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamonds Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 All this because of some butthurt liberals? Sigh, people need to lighten up nothing is that serious. Couldn't have said it better myself.... fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Karacho1647545492 Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 Actually... The Catholics weren't butt hurt at all- they even sent a letter stating they knew he was just joking around and wasn't a jerk. It was really the SEC being angry they got called out on fudging their academics. Also, this is the first time I've seen anyone say "retiring" without the quotes. Also, I've never particularly cared one way or another about OSU, but the guy did a lot for the school, community, and Ohio as a state. Doesn't deserve to be ousted because he spoke the truth. Edit: also, did my iPod parts come in from China yet, Trish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrs.cos Posted June 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 It was really the SEC being angry they got called out on fudging their academics. Also, this is the first time I've seen anyone say "retiring" without the quotes. Also, I've never particularly cared one way or another about OSU, but the guy did a lot for the school, community, and Ohio as a state. Doesn't deserve to be ousted because he spoke the truth. Edit: also, did my iPod parts come in from China yet, Trish? No sir.. Not yet... But my stylus I ordered in April did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bahd-ler Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 I'm Catholic and thought it was hilarious! Even if every catholic in the world agreed the butthurt liberals would still shove their 2 cents down our throat! Fuck them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent Orange Posted June 4, 2013 Report Share Posted June 4, 2013 Tressel out, Gee out, but Gene Smith still there???? If Holbrook comes back, I'm throwing my diploma out the window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicranium Posted June 5, 2013 Report Share Posted June 5, 2013 He wasn't forced out. He received a "no vote of confidence" from the board of trustees. Wexner told him he should probably bow out as gracefully as possible at this point (after 2 or 3 public relations gaffes in the last few years). This has been said before and hasn't come true yet but people believe this will be the end of Gene Smith as well. He had nothing to do with Gee's comments but maybe Gee had his back a bit? I don't get that but it's being said. As far as I knew Schottenstein was the big-time Gene Smith backer and he's still there. Name I've read for Gee's replacement is current Case Western president Barbara Snyder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJ Posted June 5, 2013 Report Share Posted June 5, 2013 Gene Smith just won some major AD award Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bicranium Posted June 5, 2013 Report Share Posted June 5, 2013 Gene Smith just won some major AD award Yeah, I don't get why he'd be gone as a result of this but a good source of you know who is "promising" that this time it's true...lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10phone2 Posted June 5, 2013 Report Share Posted June 5, 2013 Once Smith is gone, then I will consider sending my girls to OSU for tennis down the road. For a program that promoted integrity, them sending OSU to play Arkansas was a joke considering what was going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex L. Posted June 5, 2013 Report Share Posted June 5, 2013 I really don't care about this scenario, but it further proves that the modern human element is the lowest common denominator for stupidity, aggravation, and the ultimate downfall of good people. If people can't take comments like these in jest and for their full comedic value, then they deserve to be raped with a rototiller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeDot3083 Posted June 5, 2013 Report Share Posted June 5, 2013 I would like to nominate James Patrick Tressel for tOSU President. Any seconds? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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