Iowa State Athletic Department officials have done a decent job this year reprimanding athletes for brushes with the law or inappropriate behavior.

This summer, football coach Dan McCarney dismissed or imposed sanctions on several players including former starters Calvin Branch, Geoff Turner, Russell Johnson and Ames native Tendai Muyengwa among others.

McCarney’s quick, decisive action sent a clear message to players that they would be held accountable for their actions.

Men’s basketball coach Tim Floyd has done the same with former Cyclone Belefia Parks, convicted last month of stealing $1,000 in electronic equipment from the Ames Kmart, and Kenny Pratt, arrested last week for an alleged sexual assault.

Here, too, the coach took a tough stand with his players to make a point.

McCarney and Floyd should be commended for their hard-line stance with players, but when the situation hits a little closer to home, there appears to be a double standard.

Football assistant Sam Papalii was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol this summer, but returned to work with no reprimand.

And on a larger scale, basketball assistant Gar Forman has been accused of academic fraud by two respected institutions in New Mexico State University and the NCAA. He also remains on the job.

Forman may be completely innocent of the allegations, but that’s not the point.

ISU athletic officials — rightfully quick with suspensions and dismissals — have made it clear they will not tolerate those athletes who run into trouble with the law or break NCAA rules.

But what about the coaches? Shouldn’t they be held to the same standard as the players they’re charged with nurturing? School officials are obligated to either re-evaluate their discipline policies or apply them more fairly.