ND Professor Responds to Tribune

[whdempsey]

Where did Professor Gaski get the idea that the Chicago Tribune's report that "Notre Dame's campus security personnel withheld the official alleged incident report from local police" -- which he calls an "intentional calumny" -- was based on "an uncorroborated source"? In fact, as the South Bend Tribune made clear the day after the Chicago Tribune's report, the source was the St. Joseph police department itself, which apologized for telling the Chicago Tribune otherwise.

From the South Bend Tribune, Nov. 23, 2010:

"St. Joseph County police said Monday they were, in fact, notified by the University of Notre Dame that a Saint Mary's College freshman who committed suicide Sept. 10 had reported being sexually assaulted 10 days earlier.

"On Sunday, county police reported the opposite: Officials said they had been unaware of the alleged sex assault case while they investigated 19-year-old Elizabeth Seeberg's death.

"Assistant Chief and spokesman William Redman took responsibility for providing the incorrect information to The Tribune and other media outlets."

Perhaps a good case for Notre Dame can be made. One that rests heavily on the unaccountably mistaken premise that the Chicago Tribune's reporting can be dismissed because of its intentional wrongdoing is not it.

 

[Jerry]

Was this article printed or posted anywhere besides Domer sites? Just wondering if the major media has read this??

 

[OlympiaIrishFan]

My professors at ND were great. And after reading this, I sure with I had him as a professor as well. Well done!!

Go Irish!

 

[Jason Pham]

Will he keep his job is my question?

I believe he has tenure, and something like this shouldn't put that in question.

 

[IrishinSyria]

WOOOOOOO! This has become the reunion thread! Welcome back BGIF and Neutered Domer, hope both of you enjoyed the end of the season as much as we all did.


edit: just noticed I'm a few days late on the welcome back for Neutered. Original post still stands.

 

[IrishinSyria]

Where did Professor Gaski get the idea that the Chicago Tribune's report that "Notre Dame's campus security personnel withheld the official alleged incident report from local police" -- which he calls an "intentional calumny" -- was based on "an uncorroborated source"? In fact, as the South Bend Tribune made clear the day after the Chicago Tribune's report, the source was the St. Joseph police department itself, which apologized for telling the Chicago Tribune otherwise.

From the South Bend Tribune, Nov. 23, 2010:

"St. Joseph County police said Monday they were, in fact, notified by the University of Notre Dame that a Saint Mary's College freshman who committed suicide Sept. 10 had reported being sexually assaulted 10 days earlier.

"On Sunday, county police reported the opposite: Officials said they had been unaware of the alleged sex assault case while they investigated 19-year-old Elizabeth Seeberg's death.

"Assistant Chief and spokesman William Redman took responsibility for providing the incorrect information to The Tribune and other media outlets."

Perhaps a good case for Notre Dame can be made. One that rests heavily on the unaccountably mistaken premise that the Chicago Tribune's reporting can be dismissed because of its intentional wrongdoing is not it.

Uncorroborated: adjective

*
not confirmed or supported by other evidence or information:


One source, even if it's a police department spokesperson, does not make for "corroborated" evidence. Especially if he was asked about a topic he was unprepared to discus. You know who they could have asked to verify that statement? Notre Dame. It's very telling that they didn't.

Also, the criticism was not so much that they published false information, but rather they built an entire article around it and then they failed to run an equally high-profile apology when they learned one of the key premises of their article was false.

 

[IrishTimer]

I didn't like the questions about St Mary's enrollment practices, or really him mentioning the Seebergs at all. His writing lost focus at that point rather than concetrating on the Tribune.

Honestly, the letter seemed a tad too aggressive and angry for my tastes.

 

[k1ssme1m1r1sh]

Well personally, I agree with him. Being in South Bend everyday ALL WE EVER HEAR ABOUT is Lizzy and Declan and the big "who shot JR?" conspiracy that Notre Dame is somehow looking for total world domination. Because don't you know, you sillies, that in the event of a nuclear holocaust the only thing left standing in the world would be ****roaches and Notre Dame?! (Insert mechanical evil laugh here)

David Haugh has been a douche canoe ever since he first sat down to type his first article. The trib in general shows a heavy bias toward the right politically, and doesn't hesitate to print unresearched, factless, tasteless letters to the Editor on a daily basis. Shockingly, I have not read one Voice of the People letter in that paper in support of Notre Dame.

I appreciate that someone was willing to stand up for the University. Suicide is a horrible tragedy that never yields the answers the family so desperately needs for closure. I wish the Seeburgs peace, comfort, and healing.

 

[whdempsey]

Uncorroborated: adjective

*
not confirmed or supported by other evidence or information:


One source, even if it's a police department spokesperson, does not make for "corroborated" evidence. Especially if he was asked about a topic he was unprepared to discus. You know who they could have asked to verify that statement? Notre Dame. It's very telling that they didn't.

Also, the criticism was not so much that they published false information, but rather they built an entire article around it and then they failed to run an equally high-profile apology when they learned one of the key premises of their article was false.

You're kidding. They asked the police and is spokesperson said they hadn't been told. They should ask someone else? But anyway they did. Notre Dame declined to comment at all. Prof Gaski says ND couldn't because of the privacy law. Wrong again. PERPA contains an explicit exemption for the records of investigations of university police departments.

I'm not expressing any view on any aspect of this radioactive case, which seems to bring out the irrational in both those who think ND can do little wrong and those who think it can do little right. What I am saying is that this overwrought and deeply flawed submission does not serve ND's cause among those who are informed and reasonably objective.