Ex-NU athletes: Fitzgerald firing a failure of leadership - ESPN

A group of former Northwestern athletes has sent an open letter criticizing university administrators for a lack of due process before the firing of football coach Pat Fitzgerald, saying it «left a welcome mat out for the weaponization of sexual harassment, hazing, and racism allegations» at the school.

The letter, obtained by ESPN, is signed by 86 ex-Northwestern athletes, including several of Fitzgerald's former football teammates. The group focuses on university president Michael Schill and athletics director Derrick Gragg, saying both displayed «a clear failure of unbiased and principled leadership.» Both Schill and Gragg should be fired, the former athletes contend, if they don't «positively support our athletic programs with due process» and release the findings of an investigation Northwestern commissioned into hazing allegations from a former player under Fitzgerald.

Schill fired Fitzgerald on July 10. But, three days earlier, he had issued a two-week suspension for the head football coach after the university-commissioned investigation found evidence that largely supported the player's allegations but insufficient evidence that Fitzgerald or other coaches were aware of any hazing incidents. Schill, on July 8, said he would reconsider penalties for Fitzgerald hours after The Daily Northwestern reported details of the player's hazing allegations against Fitzgerald and the program.

Monday's letter contends Schill was influenced by social media reaction and «abandoned foundational legal ethics» in firing Fitzgerald.

«By willfully ignoring due process, Northwestern University's administration has left a welcome mat out for the weaponization of sexual harassment, hazing, and racism accusations to run rampant at