FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[theaprof]

As a sitting chair of a College Judicial Board, I do not envy the board at Guilford--this will be a difficult case, I am sure.

I commend Guilford for its timely response and public acknowledgement of the incident.

I hope that the hearings are thorough, that the evidence is clear, and that appropriate sanctions are applied judiciously.

My thoughts are with the school, with the alleged victims, and with the alleged perpetrators.

These kinds of incidents must be stopped.

[WLU78]

Learning to spell "pompous" -------- Four years of Bridgewater College   $120,000



Discovering careers with a Bridgewater diploma  -----  Priceless

[hasanova]

As a sitting chair of a College Judicial Board, I do not envy the board at Guilford--this will be a difficult case, I am sure.

I commend Guilford for its timely response and public acknowledgement of the incident.

I hope that the hearings are thorough, that the evidence is clear, and that appropriate sanctions are applied judiciously.

My thoughts are with the school, with the alleged victims, and with the alleged perpetrators.

These kinds of incidents must be stopped.

Thanks.  I echo your thoughts exactly.

[allsky7]

Learning to spell "pompous" -------- Four years of Bridgewater College   $120,000



Discovering careers with a Bridgewater diploma  -----  Priceless

O-U-C-H!!! I only learned four letter words with my Ferrum/Maryville education.

Must have dribbled bacca juice on his Pizza Hut uni. 

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

New poll for the summer.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

hasanova,

Your candor on this unfortunate event is appreciated.  No excuse for these college students acting like animals.  They certainly do not "represent" anyone but themselves.  Their actions are shocking.

Best wishes to the victims, Guilford College, and the Greensboro community.

[hasanova]

hasanova,

Your candor on this unfortunate event is appreciated.  No excuse for these college students acting like animals.  They certainly do not "represent" anyone but themselves.  Their actions are shocking.

Best wishes to the victims, Guilford College, and the Greensboro community.

Hey Matt and thanks.  In my opinion, forthright candor is the only way to address something like this, but I do have a caution.  Obviously, these are very serious charges, but that's what they are at this point - charges.  I will be the first one to logically admit that where there's smoke, there's probably fire, but let's be cautious.  We do not want to immediately convict anyone as guilty or, equally, quickly exonerate anyone as an innocent victim until all the facts are known.  As this situation follows the proper due course in both the college's rigorous judicial system and in the city's criminal courts, we'll have nore clarity.  On the surface, it appears to have some factual basis, but I want to learn more before saying more. 

To fully understand how this is affecting the college community's psyche, you have to know Guilford's history as a Quaker sancturary and safe haven.  This is a college that calls everyone by their first name, was an antebellum stop on the Underground Railroad, had Japanese-American citizens on the basketball team during WWII and did not buy a new American flag for the Fieldhouse until a new flag of equal size was secured for every country that had ever sent a student to Guilford.  I'm not saying this would not shock any college community, but this is a very traumatic event for Guilford, to say the least.

As always, and with a heightened sense of meaning, peace.     

[quakes75]

The problem at Guilford is that the students and faculty will not allow them to be treated fairly because they are football players and they are the ones to stand out on campus.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

hasanova,

Your candor on this unfortunate event is appreciated.  No excuse for these college students acting like animals.  They certainly do not "represent" anyone but themselves.  Their actions are shocking.

Best wishes to the victims, Guilford College, and the Greensboro community.

Hey Matt and thanks.  In my opinion, forthright candor is the only way to address something like this, but I do have a caution.  Obviously, these are very serious charges, but that's what they are at this point - charges.  I will be the first one to logically admit that where there's smoke, there's probably fire, but let's be cautious.  We do not want to immediately convict anyone as guilty or, equally, quickly exonerate anyone as an innocent victim until all the facts are known.  As this situation follows the proper due course in both the college's rigorous judicial system and in the city's criminal court system, we'll have a more clear picture.  On the surface, it appears to have some factual basis, but I want to learn more before saying more.  As always, peace.     

Couldn't agree more.  I suppose I could have prefaced my post, but I figured after the Duke case and most recently the Michael Vick story, I didn't need to.

Either way, this is a sad case.  If these Palestinian students are found to be lying, then it has still affected everyone involved.  Honestly, everyone is a "victim" in this type of case.

[hasanova]

The problem at Guilford is that the students and faculty will not allow them to be treated fairly because they are football players and they are the ones to stand out on campus.

quakes75, I agree that there will be some that will be quick to jump to conclusions because the accused are football players, but I think that might happen at lots of places.  Hopefully, cool heads will persevere and the truth, whatever that is, will be discovered and presented in a sensitive and forthright manner.  Personally, I hope this is not true as being first portrayed.  Innocent until proven guilty is what I've always been taught.  Let's all hope that standard prevails here and always.

[quakes75]

Those types of incidents have occured while I was at the school as well. They never got this kind of attention. The only reason that it has is because of Barnette being involved. That is the strangest part about it as well though because Barnette never was the type of person to do anything like that. Although people do change over time, I still do find it hard that he may have done something like that.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

When I put "Guilford College" into Google News, it looks like 176 news services across the country used an Associated Press article on what happened, including FoxNews.com, ABCNews.com, among others.

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

Those types of incidents have occured while I was at the school as well. They never got this kind of attention. The only reason that it has is because of Barnette being involved. That is the strangest part about it as well though because Barnette never was the type of person to do anything like that. Although people do change over time, I still do find it hard that he may have done something like that.

I would have to respectfully disagree.  No where in the AP version (that 99% of the news sources used) did it mention Barnette being an All-American.

I will admit that had they not all been football players, it wouldn't be getting the press it has.  We, as a society, have deemed it more "newsworthy" if Justin Timberlake pees on a church than if Joe Schmoe did.

The fact that the students that were allegedly beaten and cursed at were Palestinians, and that it happened on a college campus (a Quaker one at that), certainly makes this stand out more so than the occasional fight between a couple drunk students.

[theaprof]

Those types of incidents have occured while I was at the school as well. They never got this kind of attention. The only reason that it has is because of Barnette being involved. That is the strangest part about it as well though because Barnette never was the type of person to do anything like that. Although people do change over time, I still do find it hard that he may have done something like that.

I am sure that the national media picking up on this has something to do with the involvement of athletes--but I would put that blame on incidents like what allegedly happened at Duke than I would on anything else.  I would also say that the "hate" nature of the alleged event also contributes to its "newsworthyness."

Guilford is a good school with a strong tradition of doing the right thing--I would trust that the administration and Judicial process at the school will be scrupulously conscientious in their handling of the case. 

I have the misfortune of presiding over some very sticky judicial matters, and I can assure you that the school's due process will be followed.  I followed the link to the handbook that was provided on the President's news release/statement and it appears that the school has a well thought out Judicial procedure and policy.  Trust them to use it.

I am with hasanova on this:  at this point there are only allegations--no one has been found "guilty " of anything yet.  At this point there are only alleged victims and alleged perpetrators.  Let's stand behind the process and let it work (even if we don't agree with the ultimate outcome).  Sometimes things come out in the judicial hearings that, due to confidentiality issues (thanks FERPA), can not be revealed, but that have a huge influence on the outcome.

Good luck to all that are dealing with this.  And, again, I will go with hasanova's statement:

Peace.

[quakes75]

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070124/NEWSREC0101/70123018

That is where I am getting my source from. It is the Greensboro news & record.