Somewhat unexpectedly, and following the “resignation” of athletic director Tim Pernetti (pictured, foreground), Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany (pictured, background) released a statement Friday addressing the Mike Rice situation at Rutgers.
Not so surprisingly, Delany confirmed what most already knew -- the school’s future membership is in no way in jeopardy.
While calling the former Scarlet Knight basketball coach’s actions “egregious and unacceptable,” and saying that his conference “will continue to monitor the situation,” Delany said in the statement that “it will have no impact on Rutgers’ transition to, or membership in, the Big Ten Conference.”
Delany added that the hiring and firing of personnel such as coaches falls solely under the purview of the university. Below is the full text of the commissioner’s statement:“The conduct displayed by Mike Rice in the videotapes recently released by ESPN was egregious and unacceptable. Rutgers University has acknowledged that its initial response was insufficient and that more needed to be done. Its review of this matter is ongoing. The Big Ten Conference Council of Presidents and Chancellors has been studying issues surrounding institutional control for several months and continues its work in this area.
“In the context of that review, one thing that has become clear is that the hiring, retention and firing of institutional personnel, including coaches, lies solely in the hands of the individual institutions and their boards. While we remain interested in the outcome of Rutgers’ review, and will continue to monitor the situation as appropriate, it will have no impact on Rutgers’ transition to, or membership in, the Big Ten Conference.”Along with Maryland, Rutgers will officially become members of the Big Ten in July of 2014. Both schools announced late last year their decisions to leave their current conferences.