Ohio State University President Shows the Arrogance and Insensitivity of Highly Compensated College CEO’s

Why Does This Man Still Have a Job?

[Update:  Mr. Gee doesn't have a job.  He has decided to retire, thank you very much.  And no, his stupid remarks were not the only cause.

Gee, 69, said in a teleconference that the furor was only part of his decision to retire, which he said he had been considering for a while. He said his age and the start of a long-term planning process at the university were also factors.

"I live in turbulent times and I've had a lot of headwinds, and so almost every occasion, I have just moved on," he said. Gee explained away the abrupt timing by saying he was "quirky as hell" and hated long transitions.

What a guy, a jerk to the end.]

Gordon Gee is the President of Ohio State University.  Here is what the Board of Trustees thinks about his personal skills.

The letter called Mr. Gee's ability to make personal connections with varied audiences one of his greatest strengths and called his sense of humor "infectious." 

So how does Mr. Gee make personal connections with his audience and what is it about sense of humor that is infectious?  Well there is this great example of his 'infectious' humor.

In the December meeting, which related to the realignment in which numerous schools changed athletic-conference affiliations in recent years, Mr. Gee spoke of the years in which the Big Ten Conference courted Notre Dame's membership. "The fathers are holy on Sunday, and they're holy hell the rest of the week," Mr. Gee said. 

And this

Mr. Gee made at a December meeting of the school's athletic council, during which he joked that "those damn Catholics" couldn't be trusted.

And this

Mr. Gee also joked about the lower academic standards of the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky. He also joked about members of the Southeastern Conference not knowing how to read or write.

To their credit the Trustees did say that any repeat would bring some punishment, possibly dismissal.  But for Mr. Gee it is hard to see how he is really humbled or upset.  After all there is this in his history.

Ohio State University trustees on Friday rewarded President E. Gordon Gee’s efforts to bring more money and top talent to the university by giving him a 3 percent salary increase and $333,812 annual bonus, boosting his total compensation to $2.14 million.

Yes, when hundreds of thousands of students are leaving college with massive debt this self appointed clown is making millions.  Gosh, given the above remarks doesn’t everyone think Ohio State could find President that really connects with his audiences and has an infectious sense of humor for a lot less?  And if Mr. Gee represents their standards, the first place they should look is at Ringling Brothers.

Oh, and in case anyone wonders what Ohio State’s priorities are, consider this.

Board of Trustees Chairman Robert Schottenstein said Gee has been able to attract top talent to Ohio State. “Our football team is 10-0. We want to be 10-0 in everything and you’re making it happen Gordon,” he told the president.

Gordon Gee, the symbol of higher education in America.