The recent football spectacle created by Charlie Weis ought to be used as an opportunity for the entire University to reassess an unfortunate culture that has developed over the years at Notre Dame. And that is Notre Dame arrogance.
Arrogance is embedded in all environments at Notre Dame: the students, the alumni, the faculty, athletics, probably even the subway alums. It overwhelmed me when I walked on to campus in the fall of 1994.
For example, I had a professor that told me that he knew that the reason I left my home state and came to Notre Dame was so that I could get a real education. My senior year, our class embarassed ourselves in the final weeks before graduation as we criticized the selection of our graduation speaker. One little girl commented that even the University of Oklahoma got Margaret Thatcher.
Now, Weis has thrust Notre Dame arrogance into the national media. What is sad about arrogance is it is counterproductive to the goals and ideals that are Notre Dame. We should and often do boast about our committment to academics, especially with our student athletes. What we have done by not compromising our academic integrity with our athletes, when almost every other university in today's world does, is a true accomplishment.
The arrogance of Notre Dame tarnishes, if not overshadows, this fantastic accomplishment. We have a lot to be proud of at Notre Dame. I am proud to be a Notre Dame alumni. But we would be well-served if we used this Charlie Weis spectacle as an opportunity to be introspective and reassess the culture of arrogance that has developed at Notre Dame throughout the years.
Todd Meador
alumn
class of '94
Nov. 30
