A recent spate of personal actions taken by both members of Iowa State’s faculty and some of its student athletes has hurt the reputation of the whole campus. Choices to engage in illegal behavior, be it use of controlled substances, driving under the influence or abuse and maltreatment of spouses and pets, all reflect poorly on Iowa State.

When accepting a scholarship or a position at Iowa State, one’s name is on a jersey or an office placard for the public to see. That makes a person no longer an average citizen. He or she trades anonymity for opportunity to do something remarkable. But holding an esteemed position as a researcher, coach or Division I athlete offers both opportunity and bear responsibility.

Responsibility ought not be confused with being a role model. Responsibility means that one respects the institution that is providing him or her with the chance to advance a career, whether in academia or in athletics. Respecting those who provided the opportunity, as well as all those affiliated with the university, is essential for this handful of elites whose lives are ever in the public eye.

Unfortunately, all too often we see examples of abuse of position, popularity and power on this campus. Rather than graciously accepting the responsibility that accompanies positions of prestige, some faculty, staff and student athletes have responded by crassly displaying the notion that their positions are so important that they themselves are untouchable and unaccountable for flagrant displays of cruelty and disrespect for the law.

More than putting the public in danger by choosing to operate a vehicle under the influence of illegal drugs and more than putting a defenseless animal in danger by beating it, agents of Iowa State who engage in such behavior cheapen the image of all people on campus. Some who are in the position to promote the university are too often chipping away at its image.

Acts of violence and drug use among high-profile university affiliates are not new. Such things have happened in the past and will continue to happen until each and every person on campus takes responsibility for the contribution – positive or negative – they make to Iowa State and everyone else associated with the university.

By voluntarily accepting a job or a scholarship at Iowa State, one becomes a representative of the school, on campus and off, on the court and off the court. Criminal acts perpetrated during personal time are still a poor reflection upon the many scholars, athletes and employees who behave with integrity and respect.

With the state of the university budget, department cuts and controversy boiling at the ISU Foundation, Iowa State has enough image problems to face. Individuals recruited to play, study and teach at such a high level should not kick Iowa State while it is down.

Editorial Board: Dave Roepke, Erin Randolph, Charlie Weaver, Megan Hinds, Rachel Faber Machacha