Poll: Was Cottingham forced out?

[drewm88]

Just curious what the overall view of the board is. Both extremes in relation to the allegations have been mentioned, as have many other reasons (didn't want the job in the first place, Fr. Wild leaving, young family, etc.)

For all I know (disclaimer: not much), maybe this is just the simplest time of year to be sans AD.

[bilsu]

I think the second choice is worded wrong. It should be NO, but he is leaving because he is upset with how it is being handled. That would of been my vote. However, I had to vote for no, because yes, he is leaving because he is upset does not make sense.
There are really only three possibilities.
1. He was forced out.
2. He was sick of the situation and resigned.
3. He felt it was time to leave and the current situation had little bearing on it.

Until someone can show me he is receiving severance pay, I am going to believe he left because he wanted to.

[drewm88]

I edited to hopefully make it more clear.

[mu_hilltopper]

Frankly, I'm just surprised.  This isn't how MU rolls.  They weathered 95% of the storm .. no need to push Cotty out now.

As Broeker said in the interview, he was as surprised as anyone, hearing the news. 

If I had to guess .. he just up and quit.  Not great career advice, nor good for MU, since all along, the company line has been "we listened to the cases, gave the alleged victims the chance to go to MPD, no cover up here."  Now Cotty resigns and bang, the timing looks like MU is punishing someone, which means wrong-doing was at a high level.

Should have just ridden it out another month or two, announced he was moving to a new law firm .. no connection to this episode. 

[Hards Alumni]

Frankly, I'm just surprised.  This isn't how MU rolls.  They weathered 95% of the storm .. no need to push Cotty out now.

As Broeker said in the interview, he was as surprised as anyone, hearing the news. 

If I had to guess .. he just up and quit.  Not great career advice, nor good for MU, since all along, the company line has been "we listened to the cases, gave the alleged victims the chance to go to MPD, no cover up here."  Now Cotty resigns and bang, the timing looks like MU is punishing someone, which means wrong-doing was at a high level.

Should have just ridden it out another month or two, announced he was moving to a new law firm .. no connection to this episode. 

Really, I think that he wasn't forced out.  If he was going to be forced out, it would have been weeks or months ago.  Not the end of June.

[mu_hilltopper]

(right, that's why I said I thought he upped and quit.)

[Big Daddy 84]

Really, you have to debate this.  You have an AD who is Lawyer and MU gets called on the carpet for not following the law?  Who do you think should of been the one pushing MU to report this and follow the law?

[drewm88]

Who do you think should of been the one pushing MU to report this and follow the law?

Dean of Students and higher-level administration. However, I believe the issue was a honest failure to change the policy when DPS was reclassified and allowed to be armed 10 years ago. Also, the policy is for all students. Other than being much more high-profile, this probably would have happened very similarly had the alleged assailants been non-athletes. The idea that the AD is an appropriate fall guy for this is laughable to me unless he were actively working to cover things up.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Poor dude got Pilarzed. 

[MUMac]

Really, I think that he wasn't forced out.  If he was going to be forced out, it would have been weeks or months ago.  Not the end of June.

The more I think about this, the more I think you are correct.  If a head would roll, it would be on the Public Safety side.  I am starting to allign with those that believe he left because he never really wanted the job, being Wilde's man, took it unwillingly.  Now that Wilde is leaving, he no longer wanted to do the job.  Add to it the incidents, and he may have soured.

The one part that still does not click, though, is that it is immediate.  I cannot coorelate that with my current premise.

[Litehouse]

The one part that still does not click, though, is that it is immediate.  I cannot coorelate that with my current premise.

I think that may be where Pilarz factors in.  Cott is ready to move on anyway, and Pilarz wants to come in and start fresh.  No sense in waiting, and Broeker really wants the job anyway.

The thing that bugs me though is that MU basically threw Cott under the bus by including the quote in his resignation letter about the incidents.

In a letter to Marquette University President Robert A. Wild, S.J., Cottingham said, "Although recent events involving a few student-athletes have certainly been a disappointment to me, I leave Marquette with positive feelings and confidence in its future."

[Avenue Commons]

He was asked to resign and he did so. He didn't have any alternative, really. Messy situations often end messily. 

[Hards Alumni]

I think that may be where Pilarz factors in.  Cott is ready to move on anyway, and Pilarz wants to come in and start fresh.  No sense in waiting, and Broeker really wants the job anyway.

The thing that bugs me though is that MU basically threw Cott under the bus by including the quote in his resignation letter about the incidents.

In a letter to Marquette University President Robert A. Wild, S.J., Cottingham said, "Although recent events involving a few student-athletes have certainly been a disappointment to me, I leave Marquette with positive feelings and confidence in its future."

This is exactly right.

[ChicosBailBonds]

The more I think about this, the more I think you are correct.  If a head would roll, it would be on the Public Safety side.  I am starting to allign with those that believe he left because he never really wanted the job, being Wilde's man, took it unwillingly.  Now that Wilde is leaving, he no longer wanted to do the job.  Add to it the incidents, and he may have soured.

The one part that still does not click, though, is that it is immediate.  I cannot coorelate that with my current premise.

Sometimes you need a bigger head to roll.   

[jsglow]

I also think the timing of his departure was planned so as to not be a distraction at the BBQ.  It should be noted that he was not at the event.  I had made a mental note of that on Wednesday evening wondering where he was.  Now that's clear.  

Steve is a good man and has always treated me with kindness and respect.  Again, I wish him the best.

[MUMac]

Sometimes you need a bigger head to roll.   

While that can be true, if it were the case here, they certainly did not take advantage of it.

[ChicosBailBonds]

While that can be true, if it were the case here, they certainly did not take advantage of it.

Not sure I understand.  Are you saying the AD isn't a big enough head?  Certainly bigger than anyone at DPS

[MUMac]

Not sure I understand.  Are you saying the AD isn't a big enough head?  Certainly bigger than anyone at DPS

No, I am saying that if the head rolls, you need to end it with that.  All they did is perpetuate the story.  The timing of it would be in question as well.  The topic was dying down.  This brought it back to the front pages.  Very poorly handled from a PR perspective.

[Nukem2]

Not sure I understand.  Are you saying the AD isn't a big enough head?  Certainly bigger than anyone at DPS

Agreed, though the head(s) of DPS over the last 10 years has a lot of "blame" here as DPS has obviously not been in full compliance with State laws and regulations. Ignorance of laws, rules and regualtions for job-related mattersis not a viable defense for a department head.   

[Daniel]

Who knows what happened really?  If he was forced out, it was bad timing on MU's part.  If he decided to leave on his own, it was bad timing on his part and on MU's part to accept his resignation now.  Either way, ill played.