teamWhoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute there, Dianne. Did you seriously just cancel the ice hockey team‘s fall season, and yank half their funding, and put them on probation for two years, over an insensitive poster?

Oh yes she did.

The Club Sports governing board, a group of students and administrators that apparently decides these kind of things, isn’t returning e-mails. The Club Sports office itself punted to the Athletics Communications guy, whom Bwog couldn’t reach for comment. In any case, while Bwog isn’t enamored of the hockey team’s boorish word choice, we can’t help but worry that the cause of cultural sensitivity is more hurt than helped by Murphy’s firepower. Rugby, take heed! The PC police are on alert!

Full press release after the jump.

PRESS RELEASE

The full disciplinary action, determined after consultation with Columbia College administrators and the Club Sports Governing Board, comprised of student members of the Columbia Club Sports Program and Departmental Club Sports administrators (Brian Jines, Dr. Kenneth Torrey), is as follows:

1) The Columbia University Men’s Ice Hockey Club members in leadership positions are asked to furnish a written public apology to the Columbia University community, recognizing the offensive nature of the recruitment poster. The Club must also acknowledge that it did not seek approval from Club Sports administrators before printing and posting the recruitment flyer.

2) The Columbia University Men’s Ice Hockey Club is prohibited from participating in the Columbia Club Sports Program during Fall Semester 2006, effective immediately. The Men’s Ice Hockey Club will not be recognized as an active program of the Columbia University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education until January 16, 2007. As such, the Columbia Men’s Ice Hockey Club will not receive half of its funding for Fiscal Year 2007 from either the Department or the Student Council. The Club will not have the use of Department-owned vans for transportation, and may not participate in organized practices and competition.

3) The Columbia University Men’s Ice Hockey Club is hereby placed on two (2) years probation. Any further violations of Columbia Club Sports policies and regulations over the next two academic years may result in the suspension and/or elimination of the Columbia University Men’s Ice Hockey Club from the Club Sports Program.

“We recognize that free expression is a vital component of University life,” says Dr. Murphy. “This disciplinary action is not related to free speech, but rather the abdication of leadership responsibilities by senior members of the Club, and not working within established Club Sports policies and procedures.”

No further statement from Dr. Murphy is expected at this time.