Enough is Enough: The Leadership Failures at Seton Hall

[thehall07]

I have been numb and downright uninterested in this season but this thread has made me come back here just to say bravo. I implore people to stop going off on stupid tangents for once and actually add to Jcalz post.

 

[Seton75]

Was Hank being truthful when he said this (from the original Politico article)?

"For these reasons, the Board of Regents unanimously appointed him to be our priest-president, and we continue to have absolute confidence that he will use his role to instill hope and effectively lead the university forward.”

I wonder........

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/21/seton-hall-president-sexual-abuse-scandal-00194814

my guess on this.

Hank was told we dont care. he is gonna be the next pres.

and Hank agreed to stay cause he believes he can help - better than the alternatives.

fwiw i know nothing about hank but that he is very successfull on wall st, rich, and generous towards seton hall. And on the BOR. And, halldan speaks highly about him. which means a lot to me.

 

[shu09]

So those letters to Reilly aren't real?

Anyone with half a brain here knows I'm not a non de plume.

HallX2 has always shilled for the status quo/establishment. Why waste your time?

 

[HallX2]

HallX2 has always shilled for the status quo/establishment. Why waste your time?

More smears. Shill for the status quo or hold my judgment until the facts are in.

 

[HallX2]

So those letters to Reilly aren't real?

Anyone with half a brain here knows I'm not a non de plume.

You’re less well known than you imagine.

You’ve seen nothing but news paper/media reports.

I prefer to weigh real evidence before believing accusations that impugn the character of Reilly. And to those who accuse Hank of some type of corporate speak cover up shame on you.

To all of you judging on the media reports do future accuseds a favor and get yourself excused from jury duty.

Sad that so many are prepared to believe the worst. The kangaroo court is alive and well.

As if our season wasn’t back enough we have the full on bashing of everyone associated with the University.

Signing off. You’ll have one less voice urging facts before judgment.

 

[shu09]

More smears. Shill for the status quo or hold my judgment until the facts are in.

The facts are in, you just don't like them.

 

[mbraue]

seeing a lot of fire lyons talk. personally i thought he was great when he was AD.

i thought he was in charge of the academic side now, not just sports?

He's Executive VP under the president.

 

[SPK145]

You’re less well known than you imagine.

You’ve seen nothing but news paper/media reports.

I prefer to weigh real evidence before believing accusations that impugn the character of Reilly. And to those who accuse Hank of some type of corporate speak cover up shame on you.

To all of you judging on the media reports do future accuseds a favor and get yourself excused from jury duty.

Sad that so many are prepared to believe the worst. The kangaroo court is alive and well.

As if our season wasn’t back enough we have the full on bashing of everyone associated with the University.

Signing off. You’ll have one less voice urging facts before judgment.

Answer the question.

 

[hallgrad80]

If you agree with the premise that for many universities the principal asset its president needs is the ability to raise monies ,,especially in the NIL / Play for Pay era we are in then you must find one with a strong business sense and a flair for raising money something that doesn’t stand out with our newly appointed president.

 

[newshu1]

If you agree with the premise that for many universities the principal asset its president needs is the ability to raise monies ,,especially in the NIL / Play for Pay era we are in then you must find one with a strong business sense and a flair for raising money something that doesn’t stand out with our newly appointed president.

We need to do away with this Priest nonsense. it is akin to a DEI hire. You hire the best president for the job not one who MUST be a priest. This is super antiquated thinking. Think small at Seton Hall!

 

[shu67]

All of these gripes are pure nonsense and anger over the reality that SHU will perhaps never be able to compete at the same level as just about every other BE school because the NIL money may never be there. There is NO sugar daddy waiting in the wings to donate the millions needed.

So we blame everyone we can from the coach and his staff, the administration etc..

Look in the mirror and face the ugly truth. No matter who is replaced from the coach to the school president the NIL money will never be there in the numbers needed.

The landscape has changed for the worse and we are not going to fix it by changing people.

 

[SHUisNJsTeam]

All of these gripes are pure nonsense and anger over the reality that SHU will perhaps never be able to compete at the same level as just about every other BE school because the NIL money may never be there. There is NO sugar daddy waiting in the wings to donate the millions needed.

So we blame everyone we can from the coach and his staff, the administration etc..

Look in the mirror and face the ugly truth. No matter who is replaced from the coach to the school president the NIL money will never be there in the numbers needed.

The landscape has changed for the worse and we are not going to fix it by changing people.

Wrong. If the university had even the slightest clue about fundraising, how to do it and how to do it properly we would not be in the situation we are currently in.

When is the last time we had a capital campaign? We’ve been in a perpetual “quiet phase” since the failed campaign under Sheeran. Not exactly a recipe for success. You can keep doing the same thing over and over and expect different results.

 

[Hall91]

Can’t argue with HallX2 noting that a big part of our problem is an apathetic alumni base. But this is nothing new; it’s been this way ever since i remember being a student and then young alumni at SHU in the late 80s into the 90s. Unfortunately the school has done a poor job cultivating alumni engagement over the years, and then what’s become really obvious is a terrible job with fund raising with the high net worth alum. But you really can’t do the latter when you’ve done a historically poor job with alumni engagement and keeping a large commuter population feeling like they had a positive experience.

I’m sure the school has studied what Villanova does so well to have the level of engagement and alumni fund raising that they get. More importantly, they should be hiring more people from Villanova to help out situation here.

 

[bornApirate]

Can’t argue with HallX2 noting that a big part of our problem is an apathetic alumni base. But this is nothing new; it’s been this way ever since i remember being a student and then young alumni at SHU in the late 80s into the 90s. Unfortunately the school has done a poor job cultivating alumni engagement over the years, and then what’s become really obvious is a terrible job with fund raising with the high net worth alum. But you really can’t do the latter when you’ve done a historically poor job with alumni engagement and keeping a large commuter population feeling like they had a positive experience.

I’m sure the school has studied what Villanova does so well to have the level of engagement and alumni fund raising that they get. More importantly, they should be hiring more people from Villanova to help out situation here.

Look at Onward Setonia's membership levels and then go look at Providence or Nova's NIL sites.

Onward Setonia's top level membership $89 month with limited benefits
Providence, Nova, and almost every other school's top level membership $1000 month with some attractive benefits depending on the school. $500 a month at Maryland you can attend a practice with a guest.

Its like SHU is on the corner begging for change and everyone is else is trying to cultivate new donors. I am not saying this is suddenly going to get hundreds of new donors giving $10K per year, but it seems like the admin is accepting their fate and they can only go to the same group of known donors.

 

[The SHUttle]

We have plenty of discussions on NIL and everything else. While the Board's failure there plays a part in the overall assessment of how they're leading the university, let's keep this and the pressure focused on the real issue - the appointment of the President & the failure of fiduciary responsibilities there. The doubling down by Hank D'Alessandro while more details squeak out on the precise points of why this was an absolute horrid decision screams for a complete reversal in stance, which IMHO is too far gone to be believable at this point, or admittance of wrongdoing to allow new leaders to come in.

 

[The SHUttle]

The other point is that the university has to come to the realization that there is no way Reilly can be an effectual, credible leader now. He leaves the university with no leg to stand on even from a simple point of enforcing its own policies on Code of Conduct, Ethics, etc. When your top leader did not abide by those policies & was rewarded with a promotion, there is no defensibility an organization then has to enforce the same for everyone else. There is no path forward.

 

[NYShoreGuy]

We are excited to announce a unique opportunity to walk the legendary El Camino de Santiago, one of the most sacred pilgrimage routes in the world, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s canonization. Join your Spiritual Director, Rev. Msgr. Joseph R. Reilly, President of Seton Hall University, on this transformative journey through Spain from August 7-17, 2025.

This pilgrimage offers a unique opportunity to connect with a rich tradition of faith while walking in the footsteps of saints. Whether you’re seeking spiritual growth, adventure, or simply wish to be part of this historic occasion, register today for an unforgettable experience!

We invite you, your family, and your friends to learn more about the trip and secure your spots with a $500 deposit. Visit the registration page and create a username and password to get started.

 

[Seton75]

You’re less well known than you imagine.

You’ve seen nothing but news paper/media reports.

I prefer to weigh real evidence before believing accusations that impugn the character of Reilly. And to those who accuse Hank of some type of corporate speak cover up shame on you.

To all of you judging on the media reports do future accuseds a favor and get yourself excused from jury duty.

Sad that so many are prepared to believe the worst. The kangaroo court is alive and well.

As if our season wasn’t back enough we have the full on bashing of everyone associated with the University.

Signing off. You’ll have one less voice urging facts before judgment.

We hired a guy associated with McCarrick. That is about as dumb as it comes.

It is unfortunate for a man to get caught up in circumstances. The McCarrick incident and his punishment of being sent to the Vatican, is fact, not kangaroo court. Our new pres' actions in that sordid affair are those of a company man. He acted like the rest of the church - look the other way...stay downstairs.

 

[SHUSource]

We hired a guy associated with McCarrick. That is about as dumb as it comes.

It is unfortunate for a man to get caught up in circumstances. The McCarrick incident and his punishment of being sent to the Vatican, is fact, not kangaroo court. Our new pres' actions in that sordid affair are those of a company man. He acted like the rest of the church - look the other way...stay downstairs.

It's the Joe Paterno thing. He didn't do the actual thing, but he was aware of it and elected not to do anything about it because that's easier (although the internal investigation reports that he did have at least a hand in the expulsion of a complainant, which is criminal). If all he did was know and look away, bury his head in the sand, that shows a complete and callous lack of leadership and integrity -- not exactly the qualifying characteristics to become president of Seton Hall University.

 

[donnie_baseball]

Last year, I wrote a post that called out Seton Halls administration from athletics to the executive side, for their complete lack of direction when it comes to NIL. I warned that if we did not act immediately, we would be left behind, and that many in the old guard simply werent up to the task.

Unfortunately, everything I predicted is playing out in real time.

Our NIL program is in shambles, and the consequences are showing on the basketball court. Seton Hall has fallen behind in an area that now defines success in college athletics. While other programs adapt, we remain stagnant, crippled by a leadership group unwilling or incapable of making the necessary changes. The failure to prioritize NIL isnt just a missed opportunity; it’s a direct blow to the future of Seton Hall basketball.

But now, the problem extends beyond NIL. The same leadership failures that have hurt our athletic programs are now on full display at the highest levels of the university. The appointment of Monsignor Joseph Riley as president is a disaster, and the responsibility for this mess falls squarely on the chairman of the Board of Regents, Hank D’Alessandro, and the rest of the board.

The fact that Seton Hall allowed this appointment to happen then doubled and tripled down in defending it is disgraceful. It reflects a lack of foresight, a lack of leadership, and a complete misunderstanding of the current climate in higher education. This isnt about personal politics or ideology; its about competence. And what we’re seeing from our universities leadership is anything but competent.

Seton Hall continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons. Instead of strengthening our athletic department and modernizing the university, we are stuck in a cycle of self-inflicted wounds caused by outdated, out-of-touch decision-makers. This could have and should have been avoided.

At this point, it’s clear: we need change, and we need it now.

I am calling for the immediate resignation of Hank D’Alessandro as chairman of the Board of Regents. His leadership has been an unmitigated failure, and his decision to stand behind Monsignor Riley proves that he is not fit to guide this university forward.


Seton Hall deserves better. The alumni, the students, the athletes, the donors we deserve leadership that is capable, forward-thinking, and willing to make tough decisions for the betterment of the university. Right now, we do not have that.

Change doesn't happen unless we demand it. I, for one, am demanding it.

Why are we in this position ?

I think the most disturbing part of this is that calz was -- if I remember correctly -- a D'Alessandro protege. I also recall calz recently stating that he had enough financial stability that he was considering retiring. I agree with those who say that someone of this presumed wealth and investment in the school should "be the change" they wish to see. If we're going to oust one of our few "whales," then one or more of those need to step up and take his place.