Northwestern President Michael Schell said he “may have miscalculated the appropriate punishment” for head football coach Pat Fitzgerald, who on Friday began a two-week unpaid suspension following an outside investigation into incidents of hazing on the team.
“I focused too much on what the report concluded he didn’t know and not enough on what he should have known,” Schell wrote in the statement Sent to the northwest community on saturday night.
Schell said Fitzgerald failed to uphold the school’s “institutional commitment” to ensuring all students thrive. “I failed to adequately consider this failure to impose a penalty,” he said.
[ [Don’t miss] Pat Fitzgerald’s coaching future was put into question after details of the hazing incidents were revealed in the Northwestern University student newspaper ]
Fitzgerald’s suspension was among the measures Northwestern announced six months later investigation Charged into allegations of gambling made by an anonymous player. Details of hazing involving sexual acts are published in Northwestern Daily on saturday.
The investigation concluded that there was insufficient evidence that the coaching staff, including Fitzgerald, were aware of the hazing but determined that there were “significant” chances that the hazing would be discovered and reported.
Schell was not available for comment Sunday, according to a Northwestern spokesperson.
In a statement to ESPNallegedly made by the football team, the The players said the allegations of hazing were “exaggerated and misleading” and also claimed that Fitzgerald was not involved in or aware of any of the hazing incidents. No names are attached to it and nowhere is it mentioned any part of a file Allegations of former players Northwestern Daily It was “exaggerated or twisted”.
Fitzgerald was not available for comment Sunday and his representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the coach’s comment or Schell’s decision to reassess the penalties.
Fitzgerald signed a 10-year extension in 2021 through the 2030 season. The university will likely discuss a settlement if it decides to transfer from Fitzgerald, the winningest coach in school history.
Schell said he spoke with the player’s family and apologized for what their son had to go through on the programme. He also said that he tried to contact the player himself.
Schell will talk with Northwestern’s board of trustees and other college leaders to define a new sanction for Fitzgerald, the team’s head coach since 2006 and a two-time National Defensive Player of the Year with the Wildcats.
Here it is Full message from Shell:
Dear members of the Northwestern University community,
As many of you know, yesterday we announced the Executive summary From the findings of the investigation and detailed action steps regarding hazing within the Northwestern Football program. I felt it was important that you hear directly from me about our operations and next steps.
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Upon receiving an anonymous complaint from a student-athlete in November 2022, the university acted judiciously to immediately engage an independent investigator to conduct a thorough review of the complaint, including communication with current and former student-athletes. After reviewing the report, I assessed a two-week suspension for coach Pat Fitzgerald, which took effect immediately. However, on reflection, I think I may have misjudged the appropriate penalty for Coach Fitzgerald.
The confidential report concluded that while there was corroborative evidence that the hazing occurred, there was no direct evidence that Coach Fitzgerald knew about the hazing. When determining the appropriate penalty kick for the coach, I focused too much on what the report concluded he didn’t know and not enough on what he should have known. As the head coach for one of our athletics programs, Coach Fitzgerald is not only responsible for what happens within the program but must also take great care in upholding our corporate commitment to the student experience and our priority to ensuring all students—both undergraduate and graduate—can thrive during their time at Northwestern. He clearly failed to uphold that commitment, and I failed to adequately consider this failure to impose a penalty.
As a leader entrusted with the well-being of our students, I have always acted – and always will – in their best interest. In this case, I have attempted to do so based on the facts presented to me and by taking vigorous measures to ensure that hazing does not occur again in our football program, including permanently discontinuing off-campus preseason practices; the creation of a locker room observer who does not report to the football staff; Additional anti-hazing training for all football student-athletes, and additional procedures.
Because of the confidential nature of the investigation, I have just learned the name of the young man who first reported the allegations. I spoke with his family and offered my sincerest apologies for what their son had to put up with, and also tried to reach out to the young man himself to offer my apologies. I was moved by what I heard from his family and the effect of hazing on their son. In the coming days, I will be engaging with the university’s leadership, including the Board of Trustees as well as the Senate leadership, and will keep you posted on any developments as I assess future steps.
I am grateful to Peter Price, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, for his unwavering support and guidance as we researched this issue over the past several months.
Northwestern University is an exceptional university with an exceptional athletics program. I am committed to ensuring that the misconduct that occurred in our football program never occurs again anywhere in our university community.
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