The Student News Site of Saint Louis University

The University News

The Student News Site of Saint Louis University

The University News

The Student News Site of Saint Louis University

The University News

Letter to the Editor: Success of basketball team should inspire pride

Professor Schlafly:

The recent success of the SLU men’s basketball team should inspire pride in our institution and excitement for the future, not an opportunity to invoke resolved issues of the past. Each situation, regarding Majerus’ personal political beliefs, and last year’s suspensions of two SLU student  athletes, were subject to the proper and appropriate methods of action enumerated by this University’s policies. Digging up dead issues in this situation is not only unnecessary, but inappropriate because of their respective resolutions. The suspensions, and the charges that brought them, were most importantly, dropped by authorities of the law, and subsequently punished on a school level within the University’s student conduct system.  Also, Majerus’ salary is moderate in the world of college athletics, and is greatly outweighed by the financial benefits a successful program receives.  In SLU’s tournament appearance and single win alone, Majerus will have brought in more than double his salary. National exposure of the school, donations because of success, and increased merchandise sales go along with that already sizeable amount of money. I too would be frightened at the idea of athletic success at the costs of our institution’s values, but Saint Louis University has been unwavering to the commitments of its principles in both the mentioned situations.

You cite tenants of the Jesuit education and Catholic faith, yet you forgot one: Forgiveness. As a professor of history at a Jesuit institution I am surprised you mis-remembered the story of our spiritual founder. Before his conversion, Ignatius was a ruthless soldier and vain womanizer, hardly a saint on paper and an interesting choice by the Almighty for the founder of the Society of Jesus.

SLU students, alumni, and faculty should be proud of the recent success by the Billikens and the means by which it came. They would be right to support the Universality’s athletic teams as a symbol of our school.  Hopefully the already bright prospects of our University will be made brighter by our teams’ endeavors.

 

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– Jim Prebil is a 2010 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences

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