Are high-profile athletes treated differently at Tennessee? If you compare the cases of former Volunteer punter Britton Colquitt and Suzanne Glen, the answer is a resounding yes.
Colquitt, now a member of the Denver Broncos, was involved in at least four alcohol-related incidents while attending school in Knoxville. Three of the incidents came within a 12-day span in 2003 and one of those involved a DUI that was later dismissed. In Feburary 2008, Colquitt was arrested for DUI and pleaded guilty in July 2008.
Phil Fulmer, who was the Tennessee coach, disciplined Colquitt by having him sit out the first five games of the 2008 season. The player also had his scholarship revoked, but was allowed to return to the team and continue playing.
Glen, 60, completed work this past spring on a master's degree in social work. Officials then learned that she pleaded guilty last year to reckless driving in Alabama and suspended her indefinitely, meaning she doesn't get her degree and has had to forfeit some $13,000 in schooling costs from the spring semester.
Glen appealed, but Tennessee chancellor Jimmy Cheek upheld the suspension.
Bottom line: The university's move has put her life on hold and she can't get a job in social work without the graduate degree.
"I'm just outraged," said Glen, who was originally charged with drunken driving. "I didn't hit anyone with my fist or car. The university is not even-handed in the way it hands out discipline. I feel railroaded."
Mike Lawson, an attorney who represents Glen, said: "I'm really upset that high-profile athletes don't seem to get the same treatment. It seems highly biased when they have shown much more harmful activity."
The Knoxville News Sentinel published an editorial Thursday that came out in support of Glen.
"Attending the state's flagship university is a privilege. UT should have a code of conduct for its students, and students should be held accountable, whether they can nail a coffin-corner kick or not."
Thanks to Richard.
I'm with the administration on this one. The field of social work has produced nothing for humanity, and at great cost. One less social worker is a good thing. Suzanne should try a field that benefits humanity instead.
Posted by: Cromulent | October 14, 2010 at 10:31 AM
Wow, Chancellor Jimmy Cheek (great name for a neck...perhaps not for a chancellor, though) sure is hard core. Geez, lift the suspension and let Glen get her degree...she earned it, after all.
Posted by: bob cuomo | October 14, 2010 at 01:43 PM