Interim Chancellor at Eastern Carolina U. Resigns Over Alleged Partying With Students
“I was sent here to reduce the drama that ECU faced, and I instead added to it”
There are apparently photos of the former chancellor drinking and dancing with students at a bar. To his credit, the guy is taking full responsibility for his actions.
The News and Observer reports:
East Carolina University interim chancellor resigns amid UNC System investigation
East Carolina University’s interim chancellor resigned Saturday amid a UNC System investigation into his actions after photos and videos showed him drinking and dancing with students at bars near the Greenville campus.
“Make no mistake: the responsibility is mine,” Dan Gerlach said in a statement.
“It is not the press, not the University or system leadership, and not anyone else who put me in this situation,” he said. “It was I who made the choices that led to this action. There is no one to hold accountable for the situation except me.”
Gerlach had been placed on administrative leave after the images spread on social media and across news outlets in late September.
The photos and videos showed Gerlach chugging alcohol with college-aged patrons, dancing with young women and putting his arms around them at the Club 519 bar. He also went to Sup Dogs, a popular student bar near campus, with two off-duty police officers he was hanging out with that night.
Gerlach said he felt embarrassment and regret toward his family, colleagues and “all of Pirate nation who believed in me so strongly.”
“I was sent here to reduce the drama that ECU faced, and I instead added to it,” he said in his statement. “I hope that you find it in your heart to forgive me. I hope also that all of Pirate Nation will focus all of the energy and vigor toward supporting the ongoing leadership at ECU.”
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Comments
More cancel culture.
It doesn’t look like he did anything illegal, and the students got into the bar on their own IDs. It was probably bad judgment on his part; he should have taken milk and cookies to the library instead.
Still, I think a mild ass-chewing from the president behind closed doors would have been the appropriate action. People need to be allowed to screw up occasionally so they can learn from their mistakes.
Well, ECU always was known as something of a party school….