Dominic Artis, Oregon Transfer

I don't see how you can state SJU has zero tolerance for sexual abuse and simultaneously recruit an individual whose last school already is penalizing him for it.
This desperate act puts us in a hypocritical posture (we don't tolerate it, unless it happened elsewhere?) and at unnecessary risk given our own history in the lesser, but deeply damaging Pittsburg escapade.
 
Artis' attorney speaks out. Says "a wealth of evidence supporting consensual conduct was presented" but ignored. Sounds like he's thinking of a lawsuit too.

"We're not surprised at the university's action, even though a wealth of evidence supporting consensual conduct was presented," Veralrud's statement said. "Some weeks back, the university's president, without hearing or effort to impartially review facts first, dismissed the students from the team, all but declaring them guilty. While perhaps providing some cover from the broad attacks on the university's handling of the initial complaint, those statements surely dictated today's action. It's unrealistic to expect that the subordinates responsible for both alleging and determining a conduct violation would act to contradict those declarations no matter how strong the evidence showing consent. Even the many who are offended by the nature of the sexual activity should agree that the consent issue is separate and should be reviewed fairly and impartially. That could not happen in this setting."

http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2014/06/dominic_artis_attorney_not_sur.html
 
In my opinion as a graduate and a long time season ticket holder, we should not pursue him. I am not a holy roller but this just sends the wrong message.
Where there is smoke there's fire. As a Catholic university, we need to be better than this. If we are that desperate in recruiting, we need to tell Lavin to take a hike.
 
Quotes regarding the 2004 SJU basketball scandal in Pittsburgh...

“It is public knowledge that these students in question have violated team rules,” said St. John’s athletic director Dave Wegrzyn. “They were in a location where they shouldn’t have been and their actions were inappropriate.”

St. John’s has determined that the conduct of three players was inconsistent with the university mission and values as well as a violation of team rules,” the university said in a release last Thursday night. “As the university continues its investigation, more disciplinary action may be taken.

“It is important that our student-athletes live up to the standards of St. John’s University for our code of conduct, not only as student athletes but as students of this university,” Wegrzyn said. “I think it’s important to note that this is the result of poor decision-making."

“Some young men made some bad decisions,” Harrington said. “I was involved. I was directly involved. I was very much a part of that decision and completely and fully support it. The behavior that they admitted to was not acceptable for a St. John’s student.”

Wegrzyn said. “Decisions were made by student-athletes not to adhere to policy, not to adhere to university rules and regulations, to be in an inappropriate location and engage in activity that was not in concert with the code of conduct.”

“We will move it forward as positively and as quickly as we can to bring (the program) back to where we want it to be,” Harrington said in one published report. “How long it is going to be? I really hope it’s short, but realistically ... it’s going to take a while.”

Fast forward to today and I can see the exact same statements from Oregon. Is this really any different from 2004??? How far back can Artis send the SJU basketball program with a future violation???

http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2004/7/20040212-archive3.html
 
Not a great P.R. move by Coach Lavin
Banned on the Oregon campus but welcomed at St John's
You should have fully investigated the situation before extending an invitation for Artis to make an official visit to our campus, Coach
Or, at the very least, waited until Oregon made it's findings public
A rookie mistake made by a veteran coach ........ smh
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Despite my opinion that there are better places than NYC for Artis to redeem himself, before we rake Lavin over the coals for pursuing this kid, let's remember that Lavin could have discarded D'Angelo Harrison, and left him for dead. Before we witnessed the new and restrained Harrison, you could have compared his behavior to Michael Graham, who even the great John Thompson Jr. tossed from the Georgetown squad. Before you classify Graham as a very different thug, know that Michael Graham today is a successful businessman. So, forgetting about Xs and Os for a second, most of us give Lavin credit as a no nonsense guy who expects a lot from his players in terms of discipline, but also has a huge heart for forgiveness and redemption. I can say that without even being certain that I personally like the guy, which has rankled a few of you for certain.

I am pretty certain that everything that has been published recently Lavin is aware of. I'd have less respect for Lavin if his regard for Artis is based solely on Artis' ability to play hoops. Tons of college coaches will load their roster with some really bad kids in pursuit of wins. As important as winning is, I do sincerely believe that if Lavin is pursuing him, wants to participate in Artis' restoration of his reputation. It may be naïve for me to hold this position, but I'm not going after Lavin on this one. I just think its a bad decision on his part.

On the other hand, wasn't there a kid recruited by LIU who was charged criminally with a sexual crime? It was a big deal at the time, but I do seem to remember that the kid completed his college eligibility there without incident, despite the public outcry.
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How can you even think of drawing a comparison between Harrison and Artis?
Harrison was very immature and had an attitudinal problem on the court
A very different offense from that which Artis committed which left him banned from his campus for several years
The two situations are worlds apart and aren't even close to being analogous

This tweet says it best:
@SammyAlbano: "Can't wait 2 c how @St. John's U coaches spin their abbreviated recruitment of sociopath Dominic Artis"
 
I am dumbfounded why Lavin would touch this kid. I am a big believer in second chances. This would be a third chance we know of. This might not have been criminal, but this kid is bad news. He is morally bankrupt. I don't care if she consented. She was totally wasted and these animals took advantage of her.
 
Their wasn't this much outrage when Norm Roberts begged Lance Stephenson to come to SJU At that time
they had zero big time recruits and ultimately Roberts struck out on Lance also.; Stephenson was under
suspicion of sexual abuse at that time also I believe.
Click to expand...

Lavin and his staff shouldn't strive to be Norm, but alas there is a difference here. Many programs recruit a Dominic Artis-type every bunch of years. The difference here is that the kids this staff has recruited has already had numerous different issues, from 3 recruits in a year being academically ineligible, to multiple suspensions, to a player throwing a punch during a game. The program already has a reputation for being filled with THESE TYPES of players. This kid ain't worth it.
 
Not a great P.R. move by Coach Lavin
Banned on the Oregon campus but welcomed at St John's
You should have fully investigated the situation before extending an invitation for Artis to make an official visit to our campus, Coach
Or, at the very least, waited until Oregon made it's findings public
A rookie mistake made by a veteran coach ........ smh
Click to expand...

Despite my opinion that there are better places than NYC for Artis to redeem himself, before we rake Lavin over the coals for pursuing this kid, let's remember that Lavin could have discarded D'Angelo Harrison, and left him for dead. Before we witnessed the new and restrained Harrison, you could have compared his behavior to Michael Graham, who even the great John Thompson Jr. tossed from the Georgetown squad. Before you classify Graham as a very different thug, know that Michael Graham today is a successful businessman. So, forgetting about Xs and Os for a second, most of us give Lavin credit as a no nonsense guy who expects a lot from his players in terms of discipline, but also has a huge heart for forgiveness and redemption. I can say that without even being certain that I personally like the guy, which has rankled a few of you for certain.

I am pretty certain that everything that has been published recently Lavin is aware of. I'd have less respect for Lavin if his regard for Artis is based solely on Artis' ability to play hoops. Tons of college coaches will load their roster with some really bad kids in pursuit of wins. As important as winning is, I do sincerely believe that if Lavin is pursuing him, wants to participate in Artis' restoration of his reputation. It may be naïve for me to hold this position, but I'm not going after Lavin on this one. I just think its a bad decision on his part.

On the other hand, wasn't there a kid recruited by LIU who was charged criminally with a sexual crime? It was a big deal at the time, but I do seem to remember that the kid completed his college eligibility there without incident, despite the public outcry.
Click to expand...

How can you even think of drawing a comparison between Harrison and Artis?
Harrison was very immature and had an attitudinal problem on the court
A very different offense from that which Artis committed which left him banned from his campus for several years
The two situations are worlds apart and aren't even close to being analogous

This tweet says it best:
@SammyAlbano: "Can't wait 2 c how @St. John's U coaches spin their abbreviated recruitment of sociopath Dominic Artis"
Click to expand...

It's not a comparison of the offense. Artis was investigated for a serious crime - one where very often the crime could very well have been committed but their is insufficient evidence to prosecute, and the DA's office makes a call about the possibility of a conviction. Harrison had multiple events of bad behavior and a temper bordering on rage. Loudly cursing out a coach in public earshot during a game - a game in which the head coach was away burying his father - was the culmination. It doesn't warrant review, but let's not forget that many if not most coaches would have immediately dismissed a kid from the program. I strongly suspect that Artis committed an egregious act, possibly a criminal act, but that we will not hear of future offenses wherever he lands. My only point in referencing Harrison is that Lavin has shown to be a no nonsense guy who also has a sense of forgiveness and redemption - in that regard almost perfect for a Catholic University, whose very core of faith is forgiveness and redemption.
 
Their wasn't this much outrage when Norm Roberts begged Lance Stephenson to come to SJU At that time
they had zero big time recruits and ultimately Roberts struck out on Lance also.; Stephenson was under
suspicion of sexual abuse at that time also I believe.
Click to expand...

Lavin and his staff shouldn't strive to be Norm, but alas there is a difference here. Many programs recruit a Dominic Artis-type every bunch of years. The difference here is that the kids this staff has recruited has already had numerous different issues, from 3 recruits in a year being academically ineligible, to multiple suspensions, to a player throwing a punch during a game. The program already has a reputation for being filled with THESE TYPES of players. This kid ain't worth it.
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Thomas has an assault conviction too if I remember correctly.
 
This is a very tough, yet important conversation to have about recruits. I'm a criminal defense attorney that truly believes in the presumption of innocence. But that is a discussion about Constitutional rights and freedom of liberty and not the same as receiving the benefit of a scholarship to attend a university - and a Catholic one at that. I don't pretend to know the particulars of this situation, only the allegations, and they deserve close inspection before settling on an opinion regarding Dominic Artis. In an ideal world, I would want talented basketball players to have a high moral compass and reflect positively on the university. We don't live in that world. We have alumni that have committed heinous crimes, and scholarship athletes that have also brought shame to themselves and St. John's. If Coach Lavin and his staff find, after careful inspection, that Dominic Artis fits the entire mission of a scholarship, then as a fan and graduate I will welcome him and root for him to achieve his dreams. If we are merely making a talent and/or desperation vs. moral integrity comparison (or worse, putting other students in potential danger), then I don't agree, and any future offense by Dominic Artis would require termination of his scholarship as well as termination of Coach Lavin's contract. There are just no easy answers to this recruitment which is why my initial reaction is to just look elsewhere, which is (regrettably) the easiest answer to choose.
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As a criminal attorney you are aware that rape is a crime which often is difficult to impossible to prove, often putting the victim and his/her personal history on trial in order to sway a jury. It is a crime that when inflicted without battery, only becomes a crime when consent is absent. The question of consent becomes paramount, and as such, especially when alcohol is involved, is difficult to ascertain. Even a perpetrator can be absolute in his mindset that sex was consensual even as the victim decides that consent was never given.

The surrounding circumstances, while not evidence of a crime, give cause to question the moral judgments of the three men involved. One drunk girl, three men corralling her in a bathroom, and then engaging in multiple sexual acts with her. Then keeping her for another day for more rounds of sex. It's possible these guys thought they hit the slut jackpot, but even someone with some sense of moral judgment would think there was something not right about three guys passing around a drunk girl for cheap sex.

Players and coaches in high profile sports are the face of a university. Who can name the president of Syracuse, or Duke, or Kentucky? But any sports fans knows the coaches and many of the players. Think about it, would we want a coach who behaved that way? Come to think of it, Louisville does.
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+1 Beast

Also, if Maven's tweet is any indication, SJU has already backed off. "abbreviated recruitment"
 
It does not matter if there is precedent for recruiting a player like this in the past. Nor does it matter if other schools would recruit a player like this.. He is wrong for SJU.But before we jump on Lavin, it is illegal to even ask a job applicant if they have ever been arrested. It is illegal to deny a job solely becaise someone has been arrested without a convistion also being on their record. There is also a presumption of innocenece. Lynch mob justice is bad justice. I have read the police report. Does anyone here know how unreliable and biased a police report can be? That is why there are trials and police officers are cross examined. We can condemn the act as deviant and despicable. But consent is a legal term and there was not enough evidence here to even indict let alone prove guilt. I vote no on this player because sju has discretion it can exercise. But lets understand there is room for debate on this. Also, Lavin never offered a scholarship. The player was merely invited to campus. A chance to meet the kid, vet him, and form a judgment. Is it better to form a judgment from the press while three thousand miles away without hearing Artis personally? Let's keep this in perspective.
 
This is a very tough, yet important conversation to have about recruits. I'm a criminal defense attorney that truly believes in the presumption of innocence. But that is a discussion about Constitutional rights and freedom of liberty and not the same as receiving the benefit of a scholarship to attend a university - and a Catholic one at that. I don't pretend to know the particulars of this situation, only the allegations, and they deserve close inspection before settling on an opinion regarding Dominic Artis. In an ideal world, I would want talented basketball players to have a high moral compass and reflect positively on the university. We don't live in that world. We have alumni that have committed heinous crimes, and scholarship athletes that have also brought shame to themselves and St. John's. If Coach Lavin and his staff find, after careful inspection, that Dominic Artis fits the entire mission of a scholarship, then as a fan and graduate I will welcome him and root for him to achieve his dreams. If we are merely making a talent and/or desperation vs. moral integrity comparison (or worse, putting other students in potential danger), then I don't agree, and any future offense by Dominic Artis would require termination of his scholarship as well as termination of Coach Lavin's contract. There are just no easy answers to this recruitment which is why my initial reaction is to just look elsewhere, which is (regrettably) the easiest answer to choose.
Click to expand...

As a criminal attorney you are aware that rape is a crime which often is difficult to impossible to prove, often putting the victim and his/her personal history on trial in order to sway a jury. It is a crime that when inflicted without battery, only becomes a crime when consent is absent. The question of consent becomes paramount, and as such, especially when alcohol is involved, is difficult to ascertain. Even a perpetrator can be absolute in his mindset that sex was consensual even as the victim decides that consent was never given.

The surrounding circumstances, while not evidence of a crime, give cause to question the moral judgments of the three men involved. One drunk girl, three men corralling her in a bathroom, and then engaging in multiple sexual acts with her. Then keeping her for another day for more rounds of sex. It's possible these guys thought they hit the slut jackpot, but even someone with some sense of moral judgment would think there was something not right about three guys passing around a drunk girl for cheap sex.

Players and coaches in high profile sports are the face of a university. Who can name the president of Syracuse, or Duke, or Kentucky? But any sports fans knows the coaches and many of the players. Think about it, would we want a coach who behaved that way? Come to think of it, Louisville does.
Click to expand...

+1 Beast

Also, if Maven's tweet is any indication, SJU has already backed off. "abbreviated recruitment"
Click to expand...

If we've now backed off, then why did we host him for an official visit? Talk about throwing money out the window.
 
My 2 cents worth..... If he is tarnished by association with a group of guys involved I can see taking a chance with him. If he is actually guilty of rape I would Pass. Let him suffer the consequences of his actions. Lots of investigation before jumping.
 
This is a very tough, yet important conversation to have about recruits. I'm a criminal defense attorney that truly believes in the presumption of innocence. But that is a discussion about Constitutional rights and freedom of liberty and not the same as receiving the benefit of a scholarship to attend a university - and a Catholic one at that. I don't pretend to know the particulars of this situation, only the allegations, and they deserve close inspection before settling on an opinion regarding Dominic Artis. In an ideal world, I would want talented basketball players to have a high moral compass and reflect positively on the university. We don't live in that world. We have alumni that have committed heinous crimes, and scholarship athletes that have also brought shame to themselves and St. John's. If Coach Lavin and his staff find, after careful inspection, that Dominic Artis fits the entire mission of a scholarship, then as a fan and graduate I will welcome him and root for him to achieve his dreams. If we are merely making a talent and/or desperation vs. moral integrity comparison (or worse, putting other students in potential danger), then I don't agree, and any future offense by Dominic Artis would require termination of his scholarship as well as termination of Coach Lavin's contract. There are just no easy answers to this recruitment which is why my initial reaction is to just look elsewhere, which is (regrettably) the easiest answer to choose.
Click to expand...

As a criminal attorney you are aware that rape is a crime which often is difficult to impossible to prove, often putting the victim and his/her personal history on trial in order to sway a jury. It is a crime that when inflicted without battery, only becomes a crime when consent is absent. The question of consent becomes paramount, and as such, especially when alcohol is involved, is difficult to ascertain. Even a perpetrator can be absolute in his mindset that sex was consensual even as the victim decides that consent was never given.

The surrounding circumstances, while not evidence of a crime, give cause to question the moral judgments of the three men involved. One drunk girl, three men corralling her in a bathroom, and then engaging in multiple sexual acts with her. Then keeping her for another day for more rounds of sex. It's possible these guys thought they hit the slut jackpot, but even someone with some sense of moral judgment would think there was something not right about three guys passing around a drunk girl for cheap sex.

Players and coaches in high profile sports are the face of a university. Who can name the president of Syracuse, or Duke, or Kentucky? But any sports fans knows the coaches and many of the players. Think about it, would we want a coach who behaved that way? Come to think of it, Louisville does.
Click to expand...

Agree with a lot of what you are saying, but need to correct you on the "keeping her for another day for more rounds of sex" comment.

According to her own statement to the police, the accuser went home the next day. A few hours later, she willingly and of her own volition returned to the apartment of a fourth Oregon player and proceeded to have consensual sex with him - while knowing that Artis and Dotson were in the next room. This was during the day, no alcohol involved. That is the one aspect of this whole sad, sordid story that troubles me about the very serious accusations being made here.
 
This is a very tough, yet important conversation to have about recruits. I'm a criminal defense attorney that truly believes in the presumption of innocence. But that is a discussion about Constitutional rights and freedom of liberty and not the same as receiving the benefit of a scholarship to attend a university - and a Catholic one at that. I don't pretend to know the particulars of this situation, only the allegations, and they deserve close inspection before settling on an opinion regarding Dominic Artis. In an ideal world, I would want talented basketball players to have a high moral compass and reflect positively on the university. We don't live in that world. We have alumni that have committed heinous crimes, and scholarship athletes that have also brought shame to themselves and St. John's. If Coach Lavin and his staff find, after careful inspection, that Dominic Artis fits the entire mission of a scholarship, then as a fan and graduate I will welcome him and root for him to achieve his dreams. If we are merely making a talent and/or desperation vs. moral integrity comparison (or worse, putting other students in potential danger), then I don't agree, and any future offense by Dominic Artis would require termination of his scholarship as well as termination of Coach Lavin's contract. There are just no easy answers to this recruitment which is why my initial reaction is to just look elsewhere, which is (regrettably) the easiest answer to choose.
Click to expand...

As a criminal attorney you are aware that rape is a crime which often is difficult to impossible to prove, often putting the victim and his/her personal history on trial in order to sway a jury. It is a crime that when inflicted without battery, only becomes a crime when consent is absent. The question of consent becomes paramount, and as such, especially when alcohol is involved, is difficult to ascertain. Even a perpetrator can be absolute in his mindset that sex was consensual even as the victim decides that consent was never given.

The surrounding circumstances, while not evidence of a crime, give cause to question the moral judgments of the three men involved. One drunk girl, three men corralling her in a bathroom, and then engaging in multiple sexual acts with her. Then keeping her for another day for more rounds of sex. It's possible these guys thought they hit the slut jackpot, but even someone with some sense of moral judgment would think there was something not right about three guys passing around a drunk girl for cheap sex.

Players and coaches in high profile sports are the face of a university. Who can name the president of Syracuse, or Duke, or Kentucky? But any sports fans knows the coaches and many of the players. Think about it, would we want a coach who behaved that way? Come to think of it, Louisville does.
Click to expand...

Agree with a lot of what you are saying, but need to correct you on the "keeping her for another day for more rounds of sex" comment.

According to her own statement to the police, the accuser went home the next day. A few hours later, she willingly and of her own volition returned to the apartment of a fourth Oregon player and proceeded to have sex with him - while knowing that Artis and Dotson were in the next room. This was during the day, no alcohol involved. That is the one aspect of this whole sad, sordid story that troubles me about the very serious accusations being made here.
Click to expand...

It's easy to see why most people don't like lawyers. Verbose and self-serving, they rarely get the facts right. Way too many lawyers in this country if you ask me.
 
This is a very tough, yet important conversation to have about recruits. I'm a criminal defense attorney that truly believes in the presumption of innocence. But that is a discussion about Constitutional rights and freedom of liberty and not the same as receiving the benefit of a scholarship to attend a university - and a Catholic one at that. I don't pretend to know the particulars of this situation, only the allegations, and they deserve close inspection before settling on an opinion regarding Dominic Artis. In an ideal world, I would want talented basketball players to have a high moral compass and reflect positively on the university. We don't live in that world. We have alumni that have committed heinous crimes, and scholarship athletes that have also brought shame to themselves and St. John's. If Coach Lavin and his staff find, after careful inspection, that Dominic Artis fits the entire mission of a scholarship, then as a fan and graduate I will welcome him and root for him to achieve his dreams. If we are merely making a talent and/or desperation vs. moral integrity comparison (or worse, putting other students in potential danger), then I don't agree, and any future offense by Dominic Artis would require termination of his scholarship as well as termination of Coach Lavin's contract. There are just no easy answers to this recruitment which is why my initial reaction is to just look elsewhere, which is (regrettably) the easiest answer to choose.
Click to expand...

As a criminal attorney you are aware that rape is a crime which often is difficult to impossible to prove, often putting the victim and his/her personal history on trial in order to sway a jury. It is a crime that when inflicted without battery, only becomes a crime when consent is absent. The question of consent becomes paramount, and as such, especially when alcohol is involved, is difficult to ascertain. Even a perpetrator can be absolute in his mindset that sex was consensual even as the victim decides that consent was never given.

The surrounding circumstances, while not evidence of a crime, give cause to question the moral judgments of the three men involved. One drunk girl, three men corralling her in a bathroom, and then engaging in multiple sexual acts with her. Then keeping her for another day for more rounds of sex. It's possible these guys thought they hit the slut jackpot, but even someone with some sense of moral judgment would think there was something not right about three guys passing around a drunk girl for cheap sex.

Players and coaches in high profile sports are the face of a university. Who can name the president of Syracuse, or Duke, or Kentucky? But any sports fans knows the coaches and many of the players. Think about it, would we want a coach who behaved that way? Come to think of it, Louisville does.
Click to expand...

Agree with a lot of what you are saying, but need to correct you on the "keeping her for another day for more rounds of sex" comment.

According to her own statement to the police, the accuser went home the next day. A few hours later, she willingly and of her own volition returned to the apartment of a fourth Oregon player and proceeded to have consensual sex with him - while knowing that Artis and Dotson were in the next room. This was during the day, no alcohol involved. That is the one aspect of this whole sad, sordid story that troubles me about the very serious accusations being made here.
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Thanks for the correction. I'm sure that this was the most damaging aspect of her allegation. I don't understand the part of saying she "returned" to the apartment of the 4th player. Was that the apartment where the alleged rape took place? .I'll go back and re-read this, although it appears at this point St. John's will back off. I wouldn't rule out that Lavin wanted to spend some time with him to get a feel for the kid during his official visit, and didn't feel comfortable with him.
 
I am really getting a kick out of Maven on twitter bashing lavin on this situation. I do believe there is a lot of blame but the guy doesn't have balls to at least call Lavin out by his twitter handle so Lavin can see this.

I guess he wants to still be able to hang out with him down the road.

I love keyboard tough guys.
 
I've read the police report and the prosecutor's reasoning behind not pursuing criminal charges, I'm without the benefit of knowing Dominic Artis' explanation of the events that occurred and I certainly don't know and can't speak to the credibility of the alleged victim. I really think that the easiest thing to do would be to pass on this particular recruit, and I would probably recommend that course of action were I in the position to do so. That's just me. If Coach Lavin is confident, based on his ability to gather more information, that this recruit has been unfairly accused and deserves the benefit of a scholarship, then I'll support that decision. But I also think that bringing in a student athlete, suspended from another school over these allegations, should come with the risk of termination to both the coach and the player's scholarship, should there be a future offense.
 
I've read the police report and the prosecutor's reasoning behind not pursuing criminal charges, I'm without the benefit of knowing Dominic Artis' explanation of the events that occurred and I certainly don't know and can't speak to the credibility of the alleged victim. I really think that the easiest thing to do would be to pass on this particular recruit, and I would probably recommend that course of action were I in the position to do so. That's just me. If Coach Lavin is confident, based on his ability to gather more information, that this recruit has been unfairly accused and deserves the benefit of a scholarship, then I'll support that decision. But I also think that bringing in a student athlete, suspended from another school over these allegations, should come with the risk of termination to both the coach and the player's scholarship, should there be a future offense.[/quot

Termination for the player not the coach
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In my opinion as a graduate and a long time season ticket holder, we should not pursue him. I am not a holy roller but this just sends the wrong message.
Where there is smoke there's fire. As a Catholic university, we need to be better than this. If we are that desperate in recruiting, we need to tell Lavin to take a hike.
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Let me start by syaing, again, that I am leaning toward the "let's not pursue him" camp. I don't think it is worth the bad ink. I think that being a reiligion based uninversiy, rather than a purely public one, the morality aspect is heightened.

That being said, I am troubled by the "where there's smoke, there's fire" argument. This country has a history of people, particularly young black men, being incarcerated on false charges or being convicted on scant evidence or misidentification. I know that this is not a legal setting where the loss of his freedom is at stake and there is no constitutional right to a scholarship. I just worry when we can cavalierly ignore the possibility of one's innocence in such a manner. I know that you are not intending it to be so serious, but a rape charge carries so much stigma.
 
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