Trustees say Ohio State president Gordon Gee 'embarrassed' the school

Trustees at Ohio State say that president Gordon Gee embarrassed the school because of insensitive comments. (/Getty Images) Trustees at Ohio State University

Trustees at Ohio State say that president Gordon Gee embarrassed the school because of insensitive comments. (/Getty Images)

Trustees at Ohio State University say that insensitive comments made by university president Gordon Gee have embarrassed and divided the university.

The trustees sent a letter to president Gordon Gee on March 11 saying his comments risk diminishing the collective efforts of the university and of Gee's own good work, reports the Associated Press.

The letter provides several steps Gee must take following the revelation of remarks he made last year making fun of Notre Dame, Roman Catholics and the Southeastern Conference.

"The fathers are holy on Sunday, and they're holy hell on the rest of the week," Gee said to laughter at the Dec. 5 meeting attended by Athletic Director Gene Smith, several other athletic department members, professors and students.

"You just can't trust those damn Catholics on a Thursday or a Friday, and so, literally, I can say that," said Gee, a Mormon.

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Gee later backed off of those comments and apologized, via a statement.

"The comments I made were just plain wrong, and in no way do they reflect what the university stands for," he said in the statement. "They were a poor attempt at humor and entirely inappropriate. There is no excuse for this and I am deeply sorry."