Virginia Tech’s Teflon President

Mary E. Gust, an official with the Office of Federal Student Aid, spoke for many when she concluded — in what the Washington Post described as “a stinging rebuke” — “Virginia Tech’s violations warrant a fine far in excess of what is currently permissible under the statute.” This would have been the perfect time to accept the resignation of Tech President Charles W. Steger — after Steger had already done his duty by requesting the resignation of Tech Chief of Police Wendell Flinchum. But instead of sacking Steger, the McDonnell administration supports Steger’s decision to appeal the fine! Steger’s response is predictable — he’s been dodging responsibility’s bullet, so to speak, for the last four years. But McDonnell is a military man and the military is supposed to inculcate a culture of taking responsibility for events that take place in your command. McDonnell spokesman, Tucker Martin, said the governor was “disappointed” by the fed’s penalty and issued a statement declaring: “The university took all reasonable and appropriate steps in responding to an unprecedented tragedy.” This is exactly wrong. When a client is involved in an unforeseen crisis situation, or a crisis where they are not at fault, my first advice is to put the facts into context. Steger and Virginia Tech in context make the failures even more glaring. At 7:24 AM, April 16, 2007, university police officers arrived at West Ambler Johnston dormitory where two Tech students had been murdered. Steger was aware of the situation by 8:11 AM. Then Steger and his administration proceeded to waste one hour and fifteen minutes before issuing a completely ineffective campus–wide email that failed to mention the two murders and did not direct students or teachers to take safety measures. Instead these rear–end–covering buffoons blame their incompetence on the campus police officers that reported the initial shootings were a domestic incident and the primary suspect had been identified. As Tech spin-doctor Larry Hincker claims, “The university actions on April 16 were well within the standards and practices in effect at that time.” There are two problems with even this feeble excuse: one, the alleged shooter was not in custody and two: they were blaming the wrong guy. So what “practices” were Steger and his administrative flunkeys evidently following during that period of time? Their domestic–shooting–on–campus checklist appeared to have these entries:

1. Notify the governor’s office and board of visitors? Check.
2. Cancel bank deposit pickups? Check.
3. Cancel classes at the veterinary college? Check.
4. Cancel trash pickup? Check.
5. Warn students and faculty? Nah.

Ask yourself, when is the last time the shooter in a domestic incident subsequently adding to his crimes by attacking the nearest trash truck? Or throwing down on the Dog Whisperer? Yet Steger’s stooges took the time to notify all those individuals, and send a message to the governor’s office and the board specifically mentioning, “A gunman is on the loose.” This is no doubt why — as I’ve written before — some members of the Virginia Tech administrative staff concluded at 8:05 that they worked for an incompetent fool and called family members to warn them there had been a shooting on campus. One of the administrators also made sure to order his doors locked. Even the Blacksburg public school administration saw fit to lock their schools down, while Steger dithered and delayed. If Steger had even a shred of honor or decency or even a sense of shame, he would have resigned years ago. Yet he clings tenaciously to his job in the belief that holding a candle at vigils, wearing tautological T–shirts and buying plenty of teddy bears for impromptu memorials more than compensate for 32 deaths. Tim Kaine, the absentee governor at that time, appointed a commission to investigate Tech’s response. Chairman, Gerald Massengill, stated unequivocally “the alert should have been issued and classes should have been closed,” which makes the verdict of all investigative groups unanimous. More than one parent implored Kaine to fire Steger and Flinchum. Kaine’s unbelievable response was school officials had suffered enough without losing their jobs — which is simply grotesque. Initially my conclusion was Steger’s stonewalling and craven attempts to deflect blame, avoid responsibility and keep possession of his tarnished job were positively Nixonian. But this is unfair to Richard Nixon. Because he, finally, had the decency to resign.