The President Needs To Go!

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No, not that president (the one living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue). I'm talking about the University of Louisville's president. James Ramsey is the president of the University of Louisville. To say that things have gone from bad to worse in recent years under his watch is an understatement. More and more he's acting like a dictator instead of a university president. In November 2015 he took a lot of flack after a photo surfaced of his staff and him all dressed like "Pedro" in the South of the Border (that tourist trap in South Carolina with the billboards all over Interstate 95) ads: stereotypical sombreros, ponchos, and mustaches. At first he denied any wrongdoing (and I have to take his side on this: this isn't any more "offensive" than people dressing up like Dolly Parton, hookers, southern belles, sailors, or other things). After the pressure persisted he said it was wrong (here's where I have issues: it's not suddenly "wrong" because you're taking heat, it's either wrong or it isn't, period)...then he sent his staff to "sensitivity training." HE was the instigator of the costume party! Then there's the issue of him being the head of the "University of Louisville Foundation," where he's been paying himself lots of money. That's more than a little fishy. He silences his critics on the board. He is gruff with the news media that asks him questions about it. That's not the way to run a major university. Most significantly is the trouble the University of Louisville's men's basketball team is in. They are currently under investigation for a sex scandal that was brought to light when the "madam" who supplied hookers for team recruits wrote a book called Breaking Cardinal Rules. Coach Rick Pitino was blindsided in a news conference when Ramsey announced that the team was going to declare itself ineligible for postseason play this year (meaning no conference tournament and no NCAA tournament). He did this instead of letting the NCAA investigation process take its course and, according to the news conference, without even telling the coach so he could tell his players! I know Ramsey didn't hire the hookers, but this happened on his watch. Worse, he has handled that situation wrong, not to mention other issues going on at the university. I'm not a U of L fan, but I completely agree with the people who are crying out for James Ramsey's dismissal (which includes several board members). He needs to go.