“[Liberty] does not answer questions about personnel.”

Liberty University Spokesman, Scott Lamb

Right.

Sometimes there isn’t much need. Liberty University fired Jerry Falwell’s son, Trey Falwell, as Vice President, and any or all other positions he may have held at the University, according to a recent announcement. It is unlikely a coincidence that the termination comes just eight months after his father was forced to resign due to “inappropriate behavior” and financial misconduct.

People who read our reports at the time Jerry Falwell was terminated recall that we made it quite clear that Jerry Falwell’s forced resignation had very little to do with the strict evangelical code at Liberty University. We noted the obvious, had the president of the University of Wisconsin, or the president of Oregon State posted pictures of himself, almost obviously drunk, on a yacht, with a very young girl, showing a lot of skin – who doesn’t happen to be his wife, that president would be just as likely to be shown the door. Then there were the financial allegations, that Falwell was using the university as his personal piggy bank. Try that as the president of Duck Pluck County Community College and see what happens.

So this entire “thing” has been less about Liberty University and much more about Falwell, and now the “Falwells.” According to Rawstory:

The evangelical university confirmed to Politico that his son Trey Falwell was “no longer employed” as vice president or any other position at Liberty eight months after his father resigned over allegations of inappropriate behavior and financial misconduct.

University spokesman Scott Lamb told the website the younger Falwell was pushed out this week, but declined to provide additional details, and he also declined to say whether Jerry Falwell Jr.’s other son, Wesley, or his daughters-in-law were still employed by the university.

It sure would have been easy to say, “Why yes, yes – Wesley and the daughters-in-law remain employees.”

Warning: Pure speculation alert, pure speculation alert: One might believe that the university just wants to do one announcement at a time, or the lawyers are not finished reviewing whether they have sufficient legal cover for the remaining Falwells.

More speculation alert, pure speculation: When dad is caught using the university as a personal piggy bank, it might be a little hard for other family members to keep their hands out of the cookie jar. Maybe. That’s speculation. Perhaps it was just too hard to have had such a bitter break-up with Jerry Falwell and still have so many Falwell’s walking around. A clean break might have benefitted everyone.

We do not know. Repeat, we do not know. We will repeat what we know. We know that many of you are presidents of universities. No matter how liberal your university might be, posting pictures of drunken parties aboard yachts with extremely young babes in your arms is a poor choice if you prefer to remain in your position.

There is a stereotype for presidents of universities (and their family members), a stereotype that faculty members and administrators find calming, most prefer a university president possessing impeccable judgment, stoicism, satisfaction with their seven-figure salary, an aversion to luxury yachts, serious to a fault, and if a picture is taken, it’s taken at a banquet of a giant charitable event where said president helped raise millions for the Boys and Girls Club or the United Way.

We know many of you will appreciate the tip.

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Peace, y’all
Jason
[email protected] and on Twitter @JasonMiciak