Lent is a season of sacrifice, especially for Catholics. From Ash Wednesday to Easter, Catholics abstain from a sinful indulgence of their choice-sugar, smoking and sloth top the list every year-to mirror the sacrifices of Jesus Christ. And after a rollicking Super Bowl, a ballot-swamped Super Tuesday and a gumbo-stuffed Mardi Gras, we’ve had our fill of worldly excess. Leaving sooty sins at the gate, we are determined to improve ourselves and the world, one uneaten chocolate bar at a time.

Yet, Lenten sacrifice can transcend personal abstinence. It shouldn’t be defined as a deficit; it should change, rather than ignore, sinful behavior. Sacrifice is best when it betters the lives of others.

With this in mind, we urge the leadership of Saint Louis University to take the first, most visible step this year by making a public change in behavior. Our new athletic director is finally selected, so we have a suggestion:

We urge President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., to be a more effective manager.

One can hardly forget last year’s bungled firing of men’s basketball coach Brad Soderberg, who was dismissed mid-semester, in the middle of a recruiting trip. Soderberg was sacked, suspiciously, after all of the best coaches had been hired by other schools and, seemingly, without the knowledge of then-Athletic Director Cheryl Levick. Many, on campus and off, thought that Biondi had undermined Levick’s authority by ordering the academic provost to fire Soderberg and find a new coach.

This deal caused quite a stir in the local papers. But, in no time, our President covered his tracks and seduced Rick Majerus out of retirement. Levick resigned, and order was seemingly restored.

We raise this example for the sake of prudence, not blame. This isn’t the first time in 20 years that Biondi has stuck his hands into departments better left to competent employees. It is, however, the most recent. Just as Biondi’s two decades have been marked by astounding developments in funding and landscape, they have been equally marked by tactlessness, micro-management and steady employee turnover.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which arose after the Enron scandal, stipulates that a leader must be aware of everything going on in an organization; however, he or she must not act on every decision.

Responsible leaders take the time to hire competent managers and then trust those managers to get their jobs done. Micro-managers directly interfere with decisions in all levels of an organization. Responsible leaders are honest, but they deliver that honesty with refinement. Irresponsible leaders consider employees to be disposable and say as much. Responsible leaders control themselves for the sake of their organizations. Reckless leaders hold grudges.

Machiavelli said that it is better to be feared than loved, but can an administration that the faculty senate has called “fear-mongering” be truly effective?

Instead of building a culture of fear, we must work for a culture of confidence. Hire right the first time, and trust in the hire to do his or her job, and your community will thrive. Though shunning root beer and the occasional cigar might be a noble Lenten sacrifice, it is insufficient. We challenge Biondi, as well as all figures of authority at SLU, to live up to the best standards of leadership and management, at least until Easter. Who knows-if we make it that long, the good qualities might endure.