Reprimand Underscores Ohio St President’s Mistake

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio State University is taking a narrow view of the latest verbal gaffes by school president Gordon Gee.

Gee is participating in a remediation plan created by trustees who met with Gee at length when they learned of the remarks.

Gee referred to "damn Catholics" when discussing Notre Dame and attacked the academic integrity of the Southeastern Conference in a recording obtained by The Associated Press.

Gee once called the governor of Ohio a "dummy" out of frustration over higher education funding and likened keeping track of university divisions to the "Polish Army."

Those comments and others may have drawn frowns from Ohio State officials but not the kind of rebuke that followed his recent remarks.

The Big Ten commissioner is calling disparaging remarks by the president of Ohio State University aimed at Notre Dame and other universities "inappropriate."

Big Ten Commissioner James Delany says the recorded comments by Gee don't represent the opinions of the conference.

Delany said Thursday the conference has great respect for Notre Dame and schools in the Southeastern Conference.

Delany says he has communicated his regrets and apologies to Notre Dame and the SEC.

Gee has apologized in a statement to The Associated Press, saying his comments were "just plain wrong."

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