Kudos to University of Michigan for doing "the right thing" even when it is painful and inconvenient.
The University of Michigan fired their head football coach after an internal investigation revealed that he was having "an inappropriate relationship" with a staff member. It comes at an inconvenient time as the team prepares for a highly anticipated bowl game.
Having a sexual relationship with somebody underneath you in the organization chart is considered de facto sexual discrimination for two reasons.
Due to the imbalance of power, the partner who is lower on the org-chart is under some level of coercion to accept sexual advances.
The other reason is that all of the other people...the one's not in the relationship...are now at a disadvantage for any kind of promotion or when giving advice.
Football and basketball bring a lot of money into major universities and create a lot of awareness among potential students. Unfortunately, too many schools turned a blind-eye to behaviors by team members and coaching staff that would not be tolerated in others.
Assuming that the investigation was thorough and even-handed, good job U-of-Michigan!
Side story
I worked in an auto factory where one of the other supervisors was a young man who was a "Hi-Po" or High Potential employee. His folder had been tagged. He was given choice "developmental" assignments. Even though he was only 25(ish) years old, management had already decided that he was going places.
He had a temporary employee who was making about half of what the regular employees were making. The Hi-Po supervisor over-rode her pay-code in the computer to give her the highest pay-rate he was authorized for. He bumped her pay up to Team Leader pay, a dollar-an-hour more than what most of the regular employees were paid.
HR investigated. It quickly came to light that they were having sex.
The Hi-Po supervisor was directed to break off the relationship and a letter was put in his file (typically to be purged after one year).
The next pay-cycle the Hi-Po supervisor over-rode her pay code again.
He was released, with-cause, the next business day.
Yes, he was that stupid and so sure of the protection being a Hi-Po.
Don't assume that this was the U-of-M coach's first transgression.
It always amazes me. There are so many people that would give their right arm for those jobs. Once they got them they’d do their best and take pride in the work. And yet so many chit birds get the promotions and plum jobs who aren’t fit to shine shoes in a cat house…
ReplyDeleteI suspect that part of the dynamic is that when you shoot up through the ranks ten-times faster than everybody else you do not appreciate what you have because you did not earn it in the same kind of way.
DeleteThat rocket-like rise through the organization also is seen as evidence that nothing will stick to them, that they are bullet-proof.
Long ago I had a woman boss for a while. At a company party I told her that if she gave me a raise I'd give her one. Didn't work either way. Times change. --ken
ReplyDeleteI want to go on record as saying that I have the deepest sympathy for the coach's wife. She didn't ask for this.
ReplyDelete