I’m saddened and dismayed to hear that Jim Vick, VP of Student Affairs at Eastern Michigan University (my alma mater), was fired today along with the President and the Department of Public Safety’s Chief.

I first met Jim Vick through my fraternity, Sigma Tau Gamma. He had served as the faculty advisor before being promoted to VP of Student Affairs and continued to maintain close ties with the fraternity. I even had the distinct pleasure of initiating him as an honorary brother while serving as my fraternity’s President.

In my last year at college I served as IFC President and, along with that, came a seat on the Student Leader Group, which reported directly to Jim Vick. For the entire year I had weekly meetings with him. Depending on what was going on I’d see him 2 or 3 times a week and it was always a pleasure.

Throughout my years at EMU Jim Vick was a friend and a confidant. Someone I looked up to and  respected. After spending somewhere on the order of three decades he was fired in what many see as a classic case of a fall guy for some bad PR.

Let’s not gloss over the facts; the university knew about this poor girls rape and murder and didn’t tell anyone. What Jim’s role in that was is hard to say, but I find it exceptionally hard to believe he played a key role. I’ll be interested to see where this goes and I wish him the best.

A sad day indeed.