page 6
COACH Troy
March 5,2003]
-TYLER HARBOUR, Editor-in-Chief-
For the past several months, Brevard
College’s alcohol policy has come under fire
from students and faculty alike. And the de
bate whether Brevard College should even
have a “wet” campus seems to have faculty
and students, alike, in a stalemate. The bigger
issue, though, was the recent departure of a
faculty member because of violating the al
cohol policy This, in turn, raises a significant
question; docs the faculty alcohol policy need
to be re-written, or does it meet within realis
tic guidelines?
Cross-country and track-and-field coach
David Troy was quiedy dismissed, amid alle
gations that while on a cross-country meet with
a student at Wisconsin in November of 2002,
he had drank a beer with his dinner. When
this was found out, he was then given a choice
of resignation or termination. Ultimately, he
resigned.
“It’s unfortunate that something like that
happened to him (Troy) because he was a re
ally nice guy. But you have to understand that
as a faculty member that as a faculty member
you are representing your college at all times,
so 1 think that it is fair”, said Lazendra Bossard,
a graduadng senior peer advisor, as well as,
Chief Justice of the judicial board.
Hearing from a few of the track athletes, it
seems ludicrous that a man with his back
ground would go and purposely violate a
policy to lose his job. His outstanding career
includes: winning 20 individual Southeast
Conference (SEQ Championships, coaching
3 NCAA and 1 NAIA National (Champion,
receiving the NCAA Coach of the Year 7
times, and Southeastern Conference Coach of
the Year 3 times.
It could be seen by some that Coach Troy’s
dismissal was not fair and that while it has been
rumored that other professors in the past had
been “drinking” and not been fired.
“It’s not fair that he was dismissed”, said
Emily Hulse, a freshman track-runner. This
echocd the sentiment of the track-runners
interviewed. Feeling like they hac^been left in
the dark about Coach Troy’s dismissal, mem
bers of track team felt like the faculty policy
-BC Track, photo by TY HARBOUR-
Hrcvard College Knipioyee Handbook, 200l-2(K)2 Edition, Section IV
Approved by the Board uf Trustees July 16, 2(H)I
Page 9 of 25
Policy: The use, sale, purcliase, manufacture, transfer or possession of
le performin^'oilege business or on College
property, or bt^g iildeythe|jrfkenjrT?1yjlcoi^:)r while
performing Col^/lu/mei-lor lollele Is Jricly Johiblted,
DiscipHnarj' Acffon l»r ^4^1 i cy :H*fol a tic rtii (ini (!^;)oli cy may
lead to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge, and/or required
participation in a substance abuse rehabilitation or treatment program. Such
violation
I’resc
the jw
functil
piay also have !e
^ot imp;
ictivelv
lenmttfd on
fncuwiger
other individuals in the workplace.
Testing for Controlled Substances: The College reserves thengfit to
conduct drug , alcoliol, or any controlled substancc testing on a random and
for-cause basis.
was too vague. Certain track members, whosi
names won’t be given, said that they had beei
approached by other faculty members sayini
that “by giving their opinion on the CoacI
Troy matter would result in consequences.”
I sat down with President Drew Van Horn toj
clear up some of the questions about the al
cohol policy and coach Troy’s dismissal. Whenj
asked to define college business, I understood!
him as saying that if the you( the facility mem-i
ber) are receiving compensation from the in
stitution that you are working for, then that is
coUege business. I also understood that he feels
that the policy is left vague so when a situa
tion arises, then it can be thoroughly addressed
without parameters already surrounding it.
When asked about consequences for speak
ing out, he felt that if a student had been
“threatened” then, that student needs to that
person needs to go to the next level up and
speak out to a supervisor. He also added that
he has been very approachable at SGA meet
ings and around campus. He also felt that
coach Troy’s departure was “appropriate con
sidering the circumstances.”
In a case like this, it seems that no one really
wina A faculty member who was well-received
by his track members and many students is
out of a job, a team is left without a coach,
and a college is left with a bad taste in its
mouth. When asked what they would want for
the future, track members said that they just
wanted to alcohol policy clearly defined, and
their coach back.
-NEW COACH: update by GIL PAYNE-
The Brevard College Athletic Department is
pleased to announce that former BC Head
Cross Country/Track Coach, Norm Witek,
has agreed to take over the program as the
interim head coach for the remainder of the
spring semester. Coach Witek served for 17
years as the head coach of the Tornados.
During his tenure as head coach, BC won 5
National Junior College Championships and
had 120 athletes recogni2ed as NJCAA vMl-
Americans. Coach Witek has also agreed to
be a member of the BC Cross Country/Track
Coach search committee. The search for the
new coach has began with hopefially an ap
pointment to the position prior to the end of
the spring semester.
Alcohol in rhe Village, photo by (.,(.)RTNl:i\