Sully Goes Bankrupt, “Living on Pennies a Day”

There is no tradition more famous here in Aggieland than that of leaving one’s spare change at the feet of arguably the most progressive president this university has ever seen. However, the widely known A&M tradition has left this Aggie Icon on the streets.

It was discovered late Saturday evening that Texas A&M University’s beloved Lawrence Sullivan Ross, or more familiarly known as Sully, was forced to file for bankruptcy after missing multiple payments on his near-foreclosed home. Although university officials were unaware of his financial struggles, Sully has cited poor income as the reason for his filing.

“For years, pennies a day was enough, but since the Market crashed in ’08, surviving penny to penny was no longer a sensible means of living,” Sully said in an interview with KBTX’s own Clay Falls.

Recent complaints had been filed with the campus Human Resources Department by Sully asking that his pay be adjusted in accordance with the federal minimum wage, but they were quickly denied.

Shortly after his original denial, Sully submitted a request that his pay at least be adjusted for inflation. This change would have required students to leave as much as $0.26 per visit. The administration did not look favorably on this request either.

“Over a quarter per test is not fair to the students because luck is a hard find nowadays. His line of work is no longer necessary here, but the decision was no easier for us than it was for him,” said Human Resources Director Gayle Mudd.

It is unknown as to whether or not Sully, who has since resigned, will look for other means of income. Fellow Aggie Icon and dear friend of Sully, E. King Gill commented on his recent dismissal from the university as an “absolute travesty and an unfortunate loss.” Gill remains optimistic about Sully’s future, however, noting that he has “all the faith in the world that Sully will land on his feet.”

Gill, who is most revered for his role in establishing Texas A&M’s 12th Man tradition, was suspended without pay after his comments, but no statement has been made by the university regarding the timetable of his return. There is still no word as to whom may take Sully’s place, but we can only wonder if such a firing will cause financial tension amongst other university staff.

Mudd has advised students to continue focusing their efforts on their studies, but we at The Mugdown know it will not be an easy adjustment as tradition means more to the students than anyone.

– E. King Trill