Michael Josephson speaks at Tusculum College
"College athletics is treated as a business in the U.S.," Josephson said. Michael Josephson who is the Founder and CEO of Josephson Institute of Ethics, addressed the Opening Convocation of Tusculum College's 213th Academic Year.
We agree with Mr. Josephson. After the latest incident in which some members of Tusculum's soccer team commited an act of theft embarassing its coaches and the school, the Athletic Director decided to fire the coaches, which will save the school some money, cancel the soccer program which will save the school some money and best of all, allow all the students, including the guilty, to remain in school. This last decision will make the school some money.
So let's add it all up. Fire innocent coaches, savings of about $80,000, cancel soccer program which wil save the school another $100,000 and allow the students to remain on campus which the school will benefit about $100,000 if we consider the 11 or so players who actually commited a crime. Total deal = $280,000 for Tusculum.
Now lets consider the Ethically correct scenario; suspend/expell students, allow the program to continue and retain coaches who have been role models at the college, in their community, churches, etc.. and the outcome would be the complete opposite, Tusculum would be out $280,000. Mr. Josephson has our vote. He knows what he's talking about; it's all about business. "We don't have a kid problem, we have an adult problem," he said. "Kids do act different, but they are behaving the way we taught them to behave."
Regardless of theology, religions have a common focus on individuals being good, and there are common characteristics they emphasize that are also found among the tenets of CHARACTER COUNTS! - trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. "We secularized it because in such a diverse society as ours, we knew we had to," he said.
We can only hope that Tusculum's administration was present for Mr. Josephson's speech. Shortly after the speech which took place on Thursday, August 31st, Ed Hoffmeyer asked the Tusculum Men's soccer coaches to resign or else... we do have an adult problem, when they don't recognize such values as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Ed Hoffmeyer should re-evaluate his beliefs because quite honestly, I couldn't match his name to any of the afformentioned values.
We agree with Mr. Josephson. After the latest incident in which some members of Tusculum's soccer team commited an act of theft embarassing its coaches and the school, the Athletic Director decided to fire the coaches, which will save the school some money, cancel the soccer program which will save the school some money and best of all, allow all the students, including the guilty, to remain in school. This last decision will make the school some money.
So let's add it all up. Fire innocent coaches, savings of about $80,000, cancel soccer program which wil save the school another $100,000 and allow the students to remain on campus which the school will benefit about $100,000 if we consider the 11 or so players who actually commited a crime. Total deal = $280,000 for Tusculum.
Now lets consider the Ethically correct scenario; suspend/expell students, allow the program to continue and retain coaches who have been role models at the college, in their community, churches, etc.. and the outcome would be the complete opposite, Tusculum would be out $280,000. Mr. Josephson has our vote. He knows what he's talking about; it's all about business. "We don't have a kid problem, we have an adult problem," he said. "Kids do act different, but they are behaving the way we taught them to behave."
Regardless of theology, religions have a common focus on individuals being good, and there are common characteristics they emphasize that are also found among the tenets of CHARACTER COUNTS! - trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. "We secularized it because in such a diverse society as ours, we knew we had to," he said.
We can only hope that Tusculum's administration was present for Mr. Josephson's speech. Shortly after the speech which took place on Thursday, August 31st, Ed Hoffmeyer asked the Tusculum Men's soccer coaches to resign or else... we do have an adult problem, when they don't recognize such values as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Ed Hoffmeyer should re-evaluate his beliefs because quite honestly, I couldn't match his name to any of the afformentioned values.
posted by Soccer Alumni at 9:37 PM
5 Comments:
How true it is. Ed Hoffmeyer should be fired. Although it looks as a good short term business decision, Ed has no idea that in the long run, this will cost Tusculum College a heck of a lot more than $280,000.
As one of the most successful business men this country has known, I, Donald Frump, say that was a dumb-ass move Ed.
It'always about the money. They figured they could save a few $$$ and actually promote their ethics at the same time and hopefully get more donations. For me it makes them look like creeps.
There is more money to be saved by getting rid of Coach C. A rumor around Tusculum College, which I am a student, says that the Athletic Department has been looking for a reason to get rid of Coach C because of his team winning too much. Through the 2002 season, Coach C's record was 162-93-17, giving him a .627 winning percentage. 17 of those losses came in his first two seasons when the program was just being reinstated to the school. I do not have the actuall records for the 2003- 2005 seasons but I do know that they all were winning seasons. In fact, in 2004, Tusculum made it all they way to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division II tourney. Because of these tournament trips year in and year out, the school was having to fork over more and more money for the program. It is funny how a coach can bring national recognition to a school, but it gives the school a reason to get rid of them because of spending. Aparently this is not the first time this has happened at TC. Nationally recognized women's basketball coach, Angelo Botta, suffered the same fate as Coach C. Botta led TC's women's basketball team to several NAIA National Championships and was forced to resign when the school could no longer afford those trips. Think about it?
You know what? Yes, Hoffmeyer should be fired, just because he's a jerk-off. Hoffmeyer is all about winning only. Loyalty is nothing. He is loyal as far as the football team goes and as far the president leads him by his thingie. That's it. I say fire him, fire the president and bring in a new crew. Maybe they will want to educate the young people instead of condoning ignorance and lawlessness.
This was the first time, since graduating from Tusculum, that I had written them a check. I was planning to join the Pioneer Club, since I am a avid supporter of the athletic program....especially the men's soccer team. Thankfully, I hadn't yet mailed it when I heard the news. It was actually a good release to run the thing through the shredder.
I am so sick at what the scool has become. And they're trying to not only save money (my mother rightly pointed out where the extra will most likely go....football), but they are also trying their best to push out all the long time employees of the school in order to bring in a bunch of 'yes-men'.
The state of TC is especially sad to myself and my family. My family has been a member of the Tusculum community for over 100 years. My great grandfather was one of the men who built the TC arch. I am a 3rd generation TC graduate (my grandfather, a tennis alum; my father, a basketball alum; my uncle, a soccer alum; and myself, a cheerleading alum). I grew up on the campus and remember the hard years of the 80's when the school almost closed it's doors for good. The college was saved by Dr. Knott. And, in my opinion, the athletic program was saved by the men's soccer team...under our beloved Coach C.
I haven't had a very high opinion of Ed since he started. I can now say quite honestly that I hate the man. My mother, bless her, had the pleasure of telling him off once before I graduated....when he actually told her his only concern was the football team!!!!!
Now the school has issued a statement to the local paper about the reason for their actions. Most of these statements have since been flatly denied by Coach C. I'm sorry to tell good ol' Dolphus, but I don't trust him any further than...well you know. But if Coach C says something is so or not so, I believe him beyond a shodow of a doubt. No questions asked.
It's true what's been stated about Coach Botta. He was treated the same horrible way by the college...and most likely for the same finacial reason, you guys are probably right on there. Ang has been a close family friend for years and was an amazing coach and a valuable mentor for his team and other students....the same as Coach C.
I think we, as alumni who attended at a time when the college practiced what it preached, could teach the current administration a thing or two about ethics, morals, and justice. While I absolutely think the actions of the team members who did this were wrong, the actions of the school are a travesty. I think they just saw an opprotunity and took it.....not realizing that alumni and members of the community would call them on it.
We've had enough, Mr. Henry and Mr. Hoffmyer. I and my parents will not be giving any more finacial support to the school while Ed is still AD and I hope many others do the same.....since you lot only seem to understand dollar signs.
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