Mess at Mizzou

Dr. Elson Floyd came to the University of Missouri system last year with enthusiasm and plans for innovation.

Only months after he became president of the Missouri system, he was part of public discussions about expanding the University of Missouri to include Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, the first such expansion since 1963. And he began aggressively handling a budget crisis.

An outgoing, knowledgeable and well-spoken leader, he garnered favorable reviews from nearly everyone he met. The Southeast Missourian published an editorial during the summer congratulating him for considering adding the Columbia campus chancellor's responsibilities to his own.

But a few unfortunate and misguided statements made by his wife, Carmento -- and some actions taken by the Floyds -- are raising serious questions.

It started with Mizzou basketball star Ricky Clemons' visit to the Floyd home for a Fourth of July gathering when he should have been at a Columbia halfway house serving time for assaulting his former girlfriend.

Floyd said he'd been urged to befriend Clemons by coach Quin Snyder, but the university president's friendship apparently didn't have the positive effect Snyder hoped. Clemons was sent to jail when a judge found out he'd ignored the conditions of being released to the halfway house. The university took the additional step of kicking him off the basketball team.

Then Carmento Floyd accepted jailhouse phone calls from Clemons -- calls that the Boone County Jail routinely records. The Columbia Daily Tribune's review of the tapes revealed Mrs. Floyd making disgraceful and inappropriate comments.

Floyd said he considered resignation over the whole mess but will not resign, and university officials have expressed their support. Indeed, ill-advised conversations engaged in by his spouse shouldn't cloud the real issues that Floyd must address: the ongoing fiscal crisis at the university and allegations about payoffs in the athletic program.

Jessica Bunge, the former girlfriend Clemons assaulted, said months ago that Clemons told her he'd received several payments and help with his grades. The NCAA has been investigating her statements as well as Clemons' academic record at a junior college before he came to Mizzou.

Clemons appeared to confirm the allegations in other jailhouse calls to Amy Stewart, the wife of Mizzou's associate director for athletics, who also embarrassed herself and the university in her comments. In those calls, Clemons said Bunge used to take the money to the bank for him. He also claimed two other players received money from coaches.

Floyd and his wife have expressed regret over the phone calls. Now it's time to move on to the business of restoring credibility to Floyd's presidency and the university's athletics program.