Monday, July 05, 2010

Damon Evans Out



The AJC reports that University of Georgia athletic director Damon Evans has been officially resigned from his position. The board of directors for the UGA Athletic Association voted to approve a severance package consisting of three months salary (approximately $137,500.00) plus $100,000.00 longevity bonus earned under his previous contract.

As a Georgia graduate and fan, I am torn about Evans' (forced) resignation. On one hand, Evans has done a great job as athletic director for the university. Although major, this is really his only blemish; therefore, the University could have provided him with an opportunity to redeem himself as opposed to looking for ways to release him. I struggle with the recent zero tolerance for mistakes stance we take for our public officials. I've gone to a majority of the home football games over the last five years and I'd say that if the police ever set up a road block and checked for drunk drivers, a good bit of folks would be in a similar legal situation as Evans. Should those people have to resign from their jobs if they're caught?

On the other hand, driving under the influence of alcohol is deadly and Evans could have killed himself and others because he was not being responsible. Moreover, if he makes $137,500.00 in three months, he definitely had enough money to call a taxi. If UGA kept him, then it would've probably made the University's attempt to curb excessive drinking and driving while drunk meaningless because the guy giving the speech (Evans) doesn't appear to believe what he's saying.

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