CLOUDS OVER NOTRE DAME

Just when I thought the difficulties of the Notre Dame Football program had been calmed with their decisive victory over the Cadets of Army and University of Utah the week prior, old and new campus issues are in the spotlight.

I have written about the sad situation that accompanied the death of student Declan Sullivan, and now the death and suicide of a student at St. Mary’s (adjacent to the ND campus) has come to light.

The investigation into the tragic death of ND student videographer, Declan Sullivan, October 27th on a very windy, gusty day in the area has not yet produced a detailed report. This event has received national press and some have called for the exit of Head Coach Brian Kelly and/or Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick. Full disclosure of this event must be made known soon, really soon, before a larger, more uncontrollable public relations disaster confronts the storied university and football program.

Today a lengthy article by Stacy St.Clair and Todd Lighty, two Chicago Tribune reporters, surrounds the alleged rape of St. Mary’s College freshman Elizabeth Seeberg by an unnamed ND football player and her suicide ten days later. The revelation that screams for full disclosure by the appropriate authorities, including the Notre Dame Administration, is contained in this link:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-notre-dame-story-20101121,0,3224107,print.story

Answers to the questions posed in this article, along with the Declan Sullivan investigation, hover over student life and parental concerns.

The University of Notre Dame’s proud and highly regarded heritage in athletics has had a difficult time in the national spotlight during the last decade or so. Issues that surround Elizabeth Seeburg’s alleged rape and Declan Sullivan’s death are even more important. Parents entrust the college or university where they send their children, particularly in dorm and/or campus life.

This educational institution (ND) produces many well educated, community responsible, and highly valuable professionals that have and will serve this country in the decades to come.

I am not an alum of ND, but the University of Illinois. I know that college and university towns/cities benefit from the presence of a higher education institution in their community.

Awful things happen on college campuses and to college students everywhere; ND tries to hold itself to the highest standard possible and usually succeeds.

This has been a year of one public relation disaster after another for a proud and highly regarded educational institution, and they best get these independent investigations completed at the earliest possible date.

COMMANDER GRANGER