I don't disagree that this is terrible news, but Matt Luth is a great guy that hopefully can bring stability and carry on good steps the College of Business has taken.
I am utterly confused by this Chicago Tribune article: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/02/21/valparaiso-university-business-college-dean-charged-with-misdemeanor-battery/
I was assuming from the Torch article that this was some sort of off-campus issue, but these mentions of retaliation (?) for 'whistleblowing' about the university's financial woes and the contention about whether campus police should/shouldn't have been handling it.... Does this mean that he is alleged to have hit somebody on campus? I am so confused about how the charges have to do with VU and what Erhardt's lawyer is saying/insinuating about Padilla and the finances.
I don't recall ever hearing that Erhardt had blown any whistles about finances. And if an incident occurred on campus (Or if the incident were reported to them first?), it seems logical that campus police would be first responders. I don't think it's a case of Padilla using campus police like a "private police force." All this is speculation fueled by the claims of the defense attorney, whose job at this point is to say anything to get a dismissal.
The only people who really know what happened are Erhardt and "LB," whoever that person is.
@vuindiana The Tribune has been sniffing down the universities neck for a long time it seems. If i had to guess they are constantly looking for new hit pieces against the school. Someone at the tribune has a vendetta against the school
This is just getting ridiculous. Do we not vet character references in our hiring at Valpo? The only way that I would put my hands on someone else as an adult, is if they came after my family or if I am defending myself against someone that tried to strike me first.
This is misdemeanor battery. Here’s another example of that: Yesterday, the head of the Proud Boys at an outdoor rally in DC was heckled and at one point brushed away the arm of a women who was holding a phone up to him. The Capitol Police immediately arrested him and charged him with misdemeanor battery. So in the VU case, we can’t assume a violent punch was thrown. It could have been just a mild push to get past another person or a chest bump during an argument, or something along those lines. Need to wait for all the facts to come out.
The tribune is going to continue to to make mountains out of mole hills. IMOP all the tribune wants is to see the school close. Much like all the tribune wanted was to see the cubs fail.
This is just getting ridiculous. Do we not vet character references in our hiring at Valpo? The only way that I would put my hands on someone else as an adult, is if they came after my family or if I am defending myself against someone that tried to strike me first.
If the guy had no "past" what good would vetting have done?
Likely this is a community service sentence for a non-Valpo officer and likely for this guy as well. The big difference is he loses his job and gets a crap load of bad PR which will likely be a detriment to his future employment.
His lawyer is doing what lawyers do to get their clients off. This particular charge is fairly easy to find yourself involved in pending the circumstances as Bud pointed out earlier.
Yesterday, the head of the Proud Boys at an outdoor rally in DC was heckled and at one point brushed away the arm of a women who was holding a phone up to him. The Capitol Police immediately arrested him and charged him with misdemeanor battery.
Good.
And now for something completely different:
https://www.valpotorch.com/news/article_d81b14f6-effc-11ef-9b66-575be1bf2a3a.html
Breaking News: College of Business Dean faces charges
How seriously did the Provost/University take the charges if they waited more than two months to do anything? At the least he should have been on administrative leave since November. What am I missing?
How seriously did the Provost/University take the charges
The state is prosecuting in this case, not the university.
Letter from an alumnus. I agree wholeheartedly but it is not me who needs to read it. Rather it should be framed and given as a retirement gift to some folks
https://www.valpotorch.com/eedition/page_9a533db3-a4b2-5b39-980d-d7b4fcea8b38.html
All due respect to the article writer, who apparently graduated the same year that I did, he has obviously not heard that less than 25% of the youngest generation has been inside a religious building. Double down on your religious heritage, sure, but that is not going to fix enrollment issues at Valpo.
All due respect to the article writer, who apparently graduated the same year that I did, he has obviously not heard that less than 25% of the youngest generation has been inside a religious building. Double down on your religious heritage, sure, but that is not going to fix enrollment issues at Valpo.
The flaw in this argument is that places like VU are/should be in the market for that 25% desperate to find a better fit in the sea of conformity. If we just follow the trend we will never compete as there are plenty of better and cheaper places to cater for that majority. It is the niche that saves us. And right now the niche is traditional and conservative values. Not mimicking what 99% other schools do hoping we avoid the chopping block. If we truly set ourselves away from the pack then we will be among those very few for which this 25% will fight for.
Also we are underestimating the conservative realignment among the young. More white men over 75 voted for Harris than white men in their 20's according to a study i heard about. I don't want to make this about politics or race but just to point out that in academia many "experts" are reading the room wrong.
Anyway... time will tell if I am right and unfortunately that is not very long.
here is the podcast where they discuss the voting demographics I mentioned above
