Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan,left,
and Marquette coach Buzz
Williams
Since 2011 I have been bothered by why Marquette University was not held accountable for breaking Federal and State law by not reporting alleged sexual assaults by student-athletes on woman on campus. Since the incidents, in the last two years, Marquette has had a new president and new Athletic Director, both persons above the basketball coach, appointed and resign. Today when I read an opinion column in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper saying the departure of these two persons might be best for MU, I had to act. Below is the Letter to the Editor I sent tonight. It might not be printed but I will need to pursue the matter with Marquette officials, Federal and District Attorneys and all those who believe in the value this Jesuit Catholic University stands for.
Dear Editor,
I was outraged to read Michael Hunt opinion column today: “Departure of AD might be best for MU.” He implies that the resignation of the Marquette University President and the Athletic Director in the last two years might be best for Marquette because they were not the right person for what Buzz Williams, coach of the basketball team and the “big money donors” want Marquette to be.
He says of Marquette university violating Federal and State laws in 2011 by not reporting alleged sexual assaults of women by student-athletes that the “school embarrassed itself”. Marquette administrators, perhaps the basketball coach, broke the law and were not held accountable for it by the County or Federal District attorney. This was not an ‘embarrassment’ but a serious violation of law and morality. Marquette says it was ‘sorry’ for this violation but being ‘sorry’ does not cut it in our legal or moral system.
Mr. Hunt calls Buzz Williams “the most transparent college coach I’ve dealt with in three decades.” Recently, during the Marquette – Wisconsin game a key Marquette player was sitting on the bench and all Coach Williams would tell the media was that it was for a violation of team rules. Is that transparency?
Buzz Williams is a successful coach and basketball brings in great revenue for the University. Maybe Marquette should appoint him President and Athletic Director or hold him accountable for upholding the law and morality Marquette honors.
Bob Graf
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