What a bittersweet morning. I awoke Sunday morning buoyed by the elation of Saturday’s victory on the football field, only to be marred by the shame of the news reports detailing the scandalous behavior of a small fraction of the Buckeye fans who left behind a path of destruction and showed complete disrespect for their own community and our laws.
The very fans who contributed to this utterly unacceptable behavior, allegedly in celebration of the triumph of their football team, vilified by their actions the very qualities exhibited by the team in achieving one of its most glorious moments. It is a slap in the face of the players, the coaches and the staff who worked so hard to achieve greatness.
This infamy, however, does not stop within the confines of the ‘Shoe; it is the entire Ohio State family, the faculty, the staff, the students and all the alumni worldwide who must bear the shame for the behavior of a few.
We are a university — a great one at that — dedicated to higher learning and contributing to our communities and society at large, through our learning, achievements and leadership. I am certain the same virtues are being extolled by Coach Jim Tressel and all his staff, making his team grand, on and off the field.
Similarly, countless students, faculty and staff members strive day in and day out for the same ideals, working hard, achieving personal bests and providing invaluable contributions to their own lives, that of their families and friends, our community and our society.
Unfortunately, some members of our university community contributed to the inexcusable behavior displayed after the game in plain sight of our local community and the entire nation. For me as a Buckeye and a contributing member of this great university, a deep shadow has been cast at a time which should call for rejoicing. It is our duty to exercise the leadership commensurate with the achievements and dreams of this remarkable institution and not allow those individuals who transgress the trust of the university to be part of this family.
Being a member of this university as a student, faculty or staff member is a privilege, which comes with rewards but also responsibilities. Regardless of penalties which those individual face for transgressing our civil laws, the University Code of Conduct should be enforced in the strictest sense and perpetrators should be expelled.
Go Bucks!
Yann Guezennecprofessor of mechanical engineering
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