Literature Review Blog #1

With another change in topic I was weary as to whether or not I would be able to find any information to support my new research topic however Jennifer Proffitt and Thomas Corrigan were able to provide me with assurance that my research is well supported with their artcle Penn State’s “Success With Honor”: How Institutional Structure and Brand Logic Disincentivized Disclosure.

In their article Proffitt and Corrigan discuss the Pennsylvania State University sex scandal and the ways in which the "corporatized" university placed self-serving economic motivations over the safety of individuals. They discuss the arrest of former Pennsylvania State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky on molestation charges. Though Sandusky was eventually charged and fired for the scandal, the former president of the university was also fired as it was believed that he was informed of the alleged charges months before it was reported to police officials. It is presumed that university officials, including the president, kept the molestation accusations under wraps to protect the university's reputation. Proffitt and Corrigan connect this to the concept of "brand logic". Brand logic is a nice way to justify universities working to prize its own image and profits ahead of people. In this scandal (and others alike) the goal of the university is not to seek justice for the person wronged but instead to displace responsibility as not to deface the university's "good name". Why? Because athletics serve as the "front porch" for many universities. They work as "a unit that returns value to the institution in the form of community, visibility, brand identity, alumni giving, and student applications" (323).

In the article Proffitt and Corrigan note that both times Sandusky was arrested he was wearing Pennsylvania State branded gear. The media went into a frenzy not just over the alleged claims but over Sandusky being arrested in his Penn State gear. This arresting ultimately led to the negative reflections on the brand. They write,"In a matter of days, they [Pennsylvania State] have plummeted from being perceived as the cleanest, most ethical brand in college sports to the lowest of the lows" (322). This served as Pennsylvania State's primary focus as can be seen with the hiring of  a leading public relations firm named Ketchum. Proffitt and Corrigan note, "Ketchum was not hired to change university structure or to protect academics but to save the brand" (324).

If its true that athletics serve as an important if not imperative point for all large and successful universities, then it seems that universities are almost justified in going above and beyond to protect the name of its biggest asset. To this point Proffitt and Corrigan state, "To the extent that the branding of athletics programs has become a structural imperative, we should not be terribly surprised when rules are bent or broken in hopes of on-field success or when the image-damaging offenses of players, coaches, or staff are covered up by university officials" (323).

"What needs further interrogation though is not the consequences of the tragedy for this brand and the athletic-educational institution for which it stands, but the extent to which a "brand-logic" contributed to or shaped university officials' decisions to apparently cover  up the former Nittany Lion assistant coach" (322).
Other important facts mentioned in the article is the ever-growing debt incurred by college athletics programs. The truth is that only a small number of athletic programs generate enough revenue to cover expenses each year. The rest of the money to fund these athletics sports come from tuition and other additional subsidies. With so much at stake it is imperative for not only the sport or the brand, but for the school, that these sports generate interest.


I hope to also discuss the situation that occurred at Rutgers University that included a previous basketball coach verbally abusing members of the basketball team.

"We should rigorously interrogate, challenge, and work toward changing institutional structures that place profits over people, including the corporization of the university and the brand logic that protects it" (324).


http://csc.sagepub.com/content/12/4/322.full.pdf+html

Works Cited

Proffitt, Jennifer M., and Thomas F. Corrigan. "Penn State’S “Success With Honor”: How
     Institutional Structure And Brand Logic Disincentivized Disclosure." Cultural Studies/Critical  
     Methodologies 12.4 (2012): 322. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.