By Senior Correspondent Desirée Taylor
NJ Today
The ink had barely dried on the contract for new Rutgers Head Basketball Coach Eddie Jordan when university officials found themselves facing another controversy. Jordan did not receive a Bachelor’s degree from Rutgers contrary to what university officials initially reported.
E. J. Miranda, the Director of Media Relations, issued the following statement, “While Rutgers was in error when it reported that Eddie Jordan had earned a degree from Rutgers University, neither Rutgers nor the NCAA requires a head coach to hold a baccalaureate degree.”
Josh Bakan, the sports editor for The Daily Targum, a Rutgers newspaper, has been following Jordan’s career for years. He blames the university for not doing its “due diligence.” And Jordan for not setting the record straight. “The administrate is at fault … Jordan is at fault,” said Bakan.
This ordeal comes on the heels of a recent scandal involving the former Rutgers Head Basketball Coach, Mike Rice, who was fired after a video surfaced of him shoving players and calling them gay slurs. The scandal prompted the abrupt resignation of former Athletic Director Tim Pernetti and university lawyer John Wolf. State Senator Raymond Lesniak expressed concerns over the way Rutgers officials have handled these problems.
“Well, I think the entire administration at Rutgers has dropped the ball from the get-go on this. They have not been forthright. They haven’t been focused. Quite frankly, in many instances, they haven’t been honest,” said Sen. Lesniak.
Despite the resume debacle, Rutgers officials point out that neither Rutgers nor the NCAA require a head coach to hold a bachelor’s degree. However, it is required for the assistant basketball coach position according to a job posting on the university website. University officials declined to comment beyond what was included in the statement which praised Jordan’s accomplishments.
“His athletic skills and leadership and his professional accomplishments have been a source of pride for Rutgers for more than three decades. We are excited to have him as our men’s basketball coach, and we look forward to many winning seasons,” said E. J. Miranda.