Pernetti chucks Rutgers under the bus

[Fishy]

Right after they chucked him under a bus, he returned the favor...

Dear Dr. Barchi:
I write in confirmation of our conversation earlier today during which we agreed that it was in the best interests of Rutgers University that I step down from my position as Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. I do so reluctantly because I always have and always will love Rutgers. I want to thank the people who have supported me throughout my years as a student-athlete and Athletic Director and help them understand my reasoning in this situation.

My continued tenure as Athletic Director is no longer sustainable for the University which I attended and where a piece of me will always remain. In connection with the incidents involving former basketball Coach Mike Rice, as was the case with all other matters which I handled on behalf of the University, I always tried my best to do what is right. I have spent a great deal of time reflecting on the events which led to today. As you know, my first instincts when I saw the videotape of Coach Rice's behavior was to fire him immediately. However, Rutgers decided to follow a process involving university lawyers, human resources professionals, and outside counsel. Following review of the independent investigative report, the consensus was that university policy would not justify dismissal. I have admitted my role in, and regret for, that decision, and wish that I had the opportunity to go back and override it for the sake of everyone involved.

I trust that my tenure at Rutgers will not be judged by this one incident. I am proud of my efforts to lead Rutgers into the Big Ten, and of all of the accomplishments of our student-athletes in the classroom and on the field of play. I want to thank our great fans, the hardest working staff in collegiate athletics, and every one of our fine student-athletes. It has been my great pleasure to serve my alma mater.

Sincerely,
Tim Pernetti
Class of 1993

 

[aceboon]

if that's true I don't blame him

 

[CTMike]

If what he writes is true, then I kind of feel for him. I think he'll land on his feet with another solid AD position.

 

[Husky68]

When the waco intelligensia follow their own procedures it is almost impossible to fire someone.

the consensus was that university policy would not justify dismissal

And then when the shtf where are they?

 

[upstater]

That is pure CYA.
People get fired for less.
FYI, this is what PSU said too. A memo uncovered by Freeh showed the strategy was designed by Wendell Courtney, university counsel. Guess what, they told him to draw up the strategy. You think lawyers and HR do these things by themselves.
Those people are paid to CYA.
Don't believe this BS.

 

[noeynox]

This dude is smart. Barchi is now on the clock he is going to have some serious exposing to do. Good luck.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Right after they chucked him under a bus, he returned the favor...

Dear Dr. Barchi:
I write in confirmation of our conversation earlier today during which we agreed that it was in the best interests of Rutgers University that I step down from my position as Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. I do so reluctantly because I always have and always will love Rutgers. I want to thank the people who have supported me throughout my years as a student-athlete and Athletic Director and help them understand my reasoning in this situation.

My continued tenure as Athletic Director is no longer sustainable for the University which I attended and where a piece of me will always remain. In connection with the incidents involving former basketball Coach Mike Rice, as was the case with all other matters which I handled on behalf of the University, I always tried my best to do what is right. I have spent a great deal of time reflecting on the events which led to today. As you know, my first instincts when I saw the videotape of Coach Rice's behavior was to fire him immediately. However, Rutgers decided to follow a process involving university lawyers, human resources professionals, and outside counsel. Following review of the independent investigative report, the consensus was that university policy would not justify dismissal. I have admitted my role in, and regret for, that decision, and wish that I had the opportunity to go back and override it for the sake of everyone involved.

I trust that my tenure at Rutgers will not be judged by this one incident. I am proud of my efforts to lead Rutgers into the Big Ten, and of all of the accomplishments of our student-athletes in the classroom and on the field of play. I want to thank our great fans, the hardest working staff in collegiate athletics, and every one of our fine student-athletes. It has been my great pleasure to serve my alma mater.

Sincerely,
Tim Pernetti
Class of 1993

Wow. If this is the case the President Barchi looks to be in trouble for sure. In house and out house lawyers and HR don't make those decisions without the Bosses ok.

 

[Doggie Style]

Wow! Good for him..... If thats really true...

 

[prankster]

No matter what the mission statement, or vision statement or values statement or strategic plan or what ever the heck else gobbuldy that organizations have.....

When push comes to shove, bureaucrats tend to act in ways that favor the bureaucracy, itself. Mission, vision, values and strategy be damned.....

 

[DanDar]

UConn should hire him.

 

[Doggie Style]

These types of events are always much more fun to read about when it isnt your school!!! Kind of takes the pinch off our situation just a bit......

 

[freescooter]

Seems to me Pernetti is being made to be the fall guy for this. Hard to know how much input he had into the legal counsel thing and how much he was using it to buy time/avoid embarassing Rutgers at a sensitive point. Also no real way to tell how much authority he had to take action without approval from HR and the President. I would imagine legal input is normal in these situations.

 

[Danzz]

The Barchi didn't want to see the video? Of course if he sees the video he has no denialability. Barchi fired Pernetti and Rice removing his layers of protection. Barchi is now the only one left to fire because his gun is empty.

 

[upstater]

Wow, you guys are easy to sucker. I have no d0ubts at all that Pernetti and Barchi were on board with this.

 

[Gurleyman]

Rice was Pernetti's high profile hire. It served his interests more than anyone else's to rehabilitate Rice, rather than stick him on the Turnpike with a box of his belongings. Because the next questions after he's canned last December, and the reasons come out, are "why was he hired?" "who didn't do their homework?" I'm sure more loony stories will come out of Robert Morris.

On another note, on the ticker crawl, every time I see some form of "Fired Rice", I read it as fried rice. There's perhaps a "Chicken Fried Rice" joke somewhere, but it's too laborious to get there.

 

[freescooter]

If you want to know what I think really happened, I think Pernetti reported this to Barchi and they jointly decided to keep this as low key as possible. Called in HR and legal and devised a strategy to have some cover if it ever blew up. Even brought in an outside advisor for additional cover. When it finally did blow, they dumped Rice thinking that would quiet the crowds. When it didn't, they tried to get Pernetti to walk the plank but he didn't go quiety. Instead he passed the blame onto others.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Wow, you guys are easy to sucker. I have no d0ubts at all that Pernetti and Barchi were on board with this.

Who knows what exactly happened. Pernetti's letter does say that with respect to others/the administration;
" Rutgers decided to follow a process involving university lawyers, human resources professionals, and outside counsel. Following review of the independent investigative report, the consensus was that university policy would not justify dismissal."
AND regarding himself;
"I have admitted my role in, and regret for, that decision, and wish that I had the opportunity to go back and override it for the sake of everyone involved."

So although he has identified an institutional process that resulted in the decision, he has admitted he had a role in that process and that he essentially should have thrown his body in front of that decision. He is acutely aware of that now, because now he knows that he was the fall guy if the decision backfired.

Of course he regrets it and wishes he'd done the right thing. I don't think its naive to take those statements at face value. By his own admission he wasn't adament enough about firing Rice, to what degree he pushed for this, backed down, thought it but never shouted from the rooftops isn't really relevant because it was unsuccessful. He failed.

Because of the Big Ten acceptance I tend to think Pernetti acquiesced to the wishes of his bosses and I think that's the opposite of naive.

 

[Chin Diesel]

No matter what the mission statement, or vision statement or values statement or strategic plan or what ever the heck else gobbuldy that organizations have.....

When push comes to shove, bureaucrats tend to act in ways that favor the bureaucracy, itself. Mission, vision, values and strategy be damned.....

Wish we had another button besides "like".

How about an "agree" button. As in I don't actually like the post, but I agree with it.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Rice was Pernetti's high profile hire. It served his interests more than anyone else's to rehabilitate Rice, rather than stick him on the Turnpike with a box of his belongings. Because the next questions after he's canned last December, and the reasons come out, are "why was he hired?" "who didn't do their homework?" I'm sure more loony stories will come out of Robert Morris.

On another note, on the ticker crawl, every time I see some form of "Fired Rice", I read it as fried rice. There's perhaps a "Chicken Fried Rice" joke somewhere, but it's too laborious to get there.

I didn't know that about the Rice hiring, good point.
My question then is what was more damaging;
A. The impact of firing Rice on Pernetti
or
B. The impact on the Big Ten aspirations of Rutgers IF Rice is fired

I guess you can surmise that the inquiries into Rice's hiring (if Rice was fired in December) are detrimental to both Pernetti and Rutger's Big 10 hopes so its a deadly cocktail.

But since Rice & Pernetti are the big losers and Rutgers is in the Big 10 arguably the university's strategy was a good one. PR hit either way but better to chance that it didn't come out and take this hit now after solidifying new conference. That's why I think Rutger's admin is more to blame then Pernetti.

 

[upstater]

Who knows what exactly happened. Pernetti's letter does say that with respect to others/the administration;
" Rutgers decided to follow a process involving university lawyers, human resources professionals, and outside counsel. Following review of the independent investigative report, the consensus was that university policy would not justify dismissal."
AND regarding himself;
"I have admitted my role in, and regret for, that decision, and wish that I had the opportunity to go back and override it for the sake of everyone involved."

So although he has identified an institutional process that resulted in the decision, he has admitted he had a role in that process and that he essentially should have thrown his body in front of that decision. He is acutely aware of that now, because now he knows that he was the fall guy if the decision backfired.

Of course he regrets it and wishes he'd done the right thing. I don't think its naive to take those statements at face value. By his own admission he wasn't adament enough about firing Rice, to what degree he pushed for this, backed down, thought it but never shouted from the rooftops isn't really relevant because it was unsuccessful. He failed.

Because of the Big Ten acceptance I tend to think Pernetti acquiesced to the wishes of his bosses and I think that's the opposite of naive.

I don't buy it. That's what I'm saying. If any other employees on campus say what Rice said o throw something at a student, they are ousted. Gone. HR and lawyers is all BS. What did HR have to say this week? Nada. It's all a crock!

 

[stick]

Who knows what exactly happened. Pernetti's letter does say that with respect to others/the administration;
" Rutgers decided to follow a process involving university lawyers, human resources professionals, and outside counsel. Following review of the independent investigative report, the consensus was that university policy would not justify dismissal."
AND regarding himself;
"I have admitted my role in, and regret for, that decision, and wish that I had the opportunity to go back and override it for the sake of everyone involved."

So although he has identified an institutional process that resulted in the decision, he has admitted he had a role in that process and that he essentially should have thrown his body in front of that decision. He is acutely aware of that now, because now he knows that he was the fall guy if the decision backfired.

Of course he regrets it and wishes he'd done the right thing. I don't think its naive to take those statements at face value. By his own admission he wasn't adament enough about firing Rice, to what degree he pushed for this, backed down, thought it but never shouted from the rooftops isn't really relevant because it was unsuccessful. He failed.

Because of the Big Ten acceptance I tend to think Pernetti acquiesced to the wishes of his bosses and I think that's the opposite of naive.

Nah, it sounds like a whole lot of spin on Pernetti's part. If what he wrote in his resignation letter was even remotely true in that he wanted to fire him in November. Then, why did he choose to retain him for the upcoming season? If Pernetti found the actions so deplorable, how in the world can you keep Rice based on his on court success in addition to his off court debacles after the season had ended? Are we to believe that Pernetti had no call as the AD to fire Rice even after the season?

It seems like Pernetti probably knew the ramifications if the video had gone out at a very crucial and sensitive time (Big 10 addition) might not be looked so favorably in the public eye and chose to prolong the damage and/or settle with a former disgruntled employee. Big 10 probably still would have accepted Rutgers, but I don't think Pernetti et al were gonna even take any chance of a PR firestorm.

 

[HobokenHusky]

Wow, you guys are easy to sucker. I have no d0ubts at all that Pernetti and Barchi were on board with this.

Looking like, as I also thought, Pernetti is utterly, and completely, full of . This was a B1G cover up all the way. Outside counsel review below:


http://www.app.com/assets/pdf/B320344045.PDF

"In sum, we believe there is sufficient evidence to find that certain actions of Coach Rice did "cross the line" of permissible conduct and that such actions constituted harassment or intimidation within Rutgers' Policy, Section 60.1.13. Furthermore, due to

the intensity with which Coach Rice engaged in some of the misconduct, we believe that AD Pernetti could reasonably determine that Coach Rice's actions tended to embarrass andbring shame or disgrace to Rutgers in violation of Coach Rice's employment contract with Rutgers. "

 

[Dogdeacon]

I don't buy it. That's what I'm saying. If any other employees on campus say what Rice said o throw something at a student, they are ousted. Gone. HR and lawyers is all BS. What did HR have to say this week? Nada. It's all a crock!

So, to be clear you think Pernetti's statement that the University had a process and involved HR and lawyers is a lie? And he acting alone did all this, and was the only one that knew about the video?

 

[Danzz]

At the end of the day it is only Rutgers. Do we really care?

 

[stick]

So, to be clear you think Pernetti's statement that the University had a process and involved HR and lawyers is a lie? And he acting alone did all this, and was the only one that knew about the video?

I think upstater is saying that the decision was Pernetti's and not HR. IMO and probably upstater's, he used the "process" including HR in case of blow back as a CYA move.