Ah, summer ... the time of year when many are looking for the quickest ways to shed dead weight. In the wake of on-going corruption within its football program, Baylor University is no different, except that instead of pounds, it's people.
Specifically, Baylor's regents are working to oust embattled president Kenneth Starr, according to a Tuesday report from Horns Digest. The report cites the board of regents' growing unease with the way in which Starr handled — or didn't, in this particular case — sexual assault and rape allegations involving football players.
UPDATE: Briles fired; Starr shifts from president to chancellor
While it seems logical to conclude that axing Starr amid the growing scandal is necessary, doing so without also giving head coach Art Briles the boot would send the exact wrong message — that the football program is, as always, untouchable.
Thankfully for Baylor, it avoided clicking send on that message as the university announced Briles' termination on Thursday.
At least six female Baylor students reported alleged sexual assaults involving football players to Baylor within the last seven years, and an ESPN "Outside the Lines" report last week found that several more may exist but are being protected from disclosure due to their "open" status in the Waco police department's records system. The report also quoted female students who said that both Briles and Starr were explictly made aware of these assaults involving football players and opted not to pursue disciplinary action.
If Starr is guilty in the eyes of the public, how can Briles not be, too? It seems clear that the systemic corruption in Baylor's program is too deep-rooted to be the makings of one man, regardless of whether that man is Starr or Briles.
MORE: Don't overlook Title IX implications in Baylor case
According to the Horns Digest report, the board of regents wants to replace Starr in the interim with Reagan Ramsower, the university's chief financial officer and senior vice president of operations. Sounds like a good plan, right? Except for this: Ramsower is responsible for oversight of the campus police.
Is there not a single sensible person in Waco? It's beginning to seem that way.
For a university already too deeply entangled with its local law enforcement, promoting Ramsower would be a grievous misstep.
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Making Starr the fall guy only corroborates the idea that alignment with the football program at Baylor is a cloak of invincibility. This situation is a package deal. If it truly wants to prove its mettle as an academic institution, Baylor needs to start fresh — without Starr and without Briles.
Summer is coming soon. Time to cut the dead weight.