The Times They Are A-Changing was a song written by Bob Dylan in 1964. Its title applies to what is happening at MSU and U of M as they struggle with sexual misconduct scandals at some of the highest levels in their respective institutions.
Last week MSU President Samuel Stanley resigned due to his lack of confidence in the Board of Trustees, some of whom were dissatisfied with how Stanley handled the firing of the dean of the business school over a sexual conduct complaint against a faculty member. Stanley was hired just over three years ago after the resignation former president Lou Anna Simon who was embroiled in the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal.
During the last three years, U of M fired their provost for sexual misconduct and fired President Schlissel for violation of U of M’s sexual misconduct policy, not long after Schlissel and the U of M Board of Regents made a big deal about U of M’s new zero tolerance policy. In addition, for many years it was recently discovered U of M’s turned a blind eye to the hundreds of sexual misconduct acts by Dr. Robert Anderson, who served as the team physician for athletics and director of the student health clinic. U of M has just settled a major lawsuit as a result of the Anderson scandal.
Today, new U of M President Santa Ono, at his first official meeting of the Board of Regents, announced the University of Michigan will be creating an independent ethics and compliance office that reports to the Board of Regents and the president’s office. Ono said this is a part of UM’s first steps to transform the institution. Ono said he has heard concerns about how UM handles compliance issues and wants to change that.
Who would have ever thought that the number one priority of the two major state universities is addressing internal sexual misconduct?
Thanks to the #Me Too movement, institutions and public companies can no longer turn a blind eye to behaviors that were tolerated 10 years ago. This has been a long time coming. For too many years, powerful men used their positions of power to take advantage of women (and sometimes young men) to fulfill their inappropriate desires and need to power over other people.
In the last three years both institutions have talked the talk, but they have not walked the walk. During that time, we have found that some people cannot help themselves, even when they are in the highest-level positions. Here is hoping that the times continue to change for the better.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Another sign of the times they are changing is in MLB. During last nights game between the Astros and the Yankees as Justin Verlander was on the mound, the announcer mentioned that the last complete game pitched in MLB postseason occurred in 2017 by Verlander. Pitch counts and power arms in the bullpen make complete games a rarity in today’s game.
Here are two examples of how things are changing when it comes to starting pitchers in the MLB.
On August 1, Yankee pitcher Luis Severino was gunning for a no-hit bid until he was pulled from the mound by Yankees manager Aaron Boone in the seventh inning because of pitch count. (I am trying to imagine the scene if Jim Leyland would have tried to take Verlander out of one of his no-hitters.)
Former Tiger Jack Morris during his career that covered all of the 80s and most of the 90’s had 527 starts and 175 complete games. Former Tiger Max Scherzer who is currently still pitching in the MLB has 421 starts and only 12 complete games. Morris is in the Hall of Fame and Scherzer will be elected to the Hall of Fame once he becomes eligible. See my Quote of the Day
Please feel free to share my blog.
Elections Matter. Pray for peace and tolerance. What are you doing to stop the violence and mass killings?
Quote of the Day: “175 complete games” Jack Morris when asked to name the difference between him and Max Scherzer during a Tiger broadcast when Max Scherzer was pitching for the Tigers.
Orchid of the Day: Bill Collins and Deanna Klosinski. Life has thrown them some wicked curve balls in the last year, but they continue to step up to the plate on a daily basis. Great people.
Onion of the Day: No onion today.
Question of the Day: Are U of M and MSU doing enough to change the culture which turned a blind eye to sexual misconduct?
Video/Image of the Day: