The university announced today that it's commissioning an independent review of the matter.
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Former Rutgers men's basketball coach Mike Rice is shown kicking, shoving, and throwing balls at his players in practice video. N.J. Assemblyman Reed Gusciora wants the NCAA and NJSIAA to enforce stricter codes of conduct for NJSIAA and NCAA.
Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, a Democrat whose 15th District covers parts of Hunterdon County, today announced that he has sent letters to both the National Collegiate Athletic Association and New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association requesting they adopt stricter codes of conduct in an effort to eliminate abusive coaching behavior.
"Combined, these two organizations oversee nearly 1,500 high schools and higher education institutions in New Jersey and across the country, providing crucial leadership and guidance for some of the best athletic programs in the nation," Gusciora said in a statement. "It's important that they play a role in eliminating this behavior, which is not solely isolated to Rutgers."
Rice was fired last Wednesday amid a sea of controversy unearthed after a videotape showing him berating his players in practice with gay slurs and physical abuse was broadcast on ESPN.
The fallout from Rice's firing prompted Pernetti's resignation two days later.
Gusciora said today that athletic governing bodies such as the NCAA and NJSIAA could help prevent future cases of coaching abuse if action is taken now.
"While Mike Rice's actions have created a stain on our state university, he is certainly not the first coach to abuse his players and he won't be the last, especially without stricter standards for conduct," Gusciora said.
While other state lawmakers have already clamored for the need for their own investigation into the matter, the university announced today that it’s commissioning an independent review of both Rice's conduct and the university's handling of the situation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.