A Siena College Baseball Player Is Failing Drawing Class, According To An Academic Advisor Who Emailed The Wrong Person

We got the following email from a reader this afternoon:

My buddy who went to Siena College with me and just graduated received this email yesterday from the athletic academic advisor. Unfortunately she confused my buddy for a baseball player there and sent this to the wrong email account. So he in turn decides to reply back and cc'd his buddies, the baseball coach and an RD at the school.

Our reader's friend has the same name as the baseball player. We've redacted the name because the player likely doesn't receive a full athletic scholarship, and because the mistaken release of his academic record wasn't his fault.

This is the email the athletic academic advisor sent:

From: Picillo, Gail
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 1:48 PM
To: [name redacted]
Cc: Rossi, Tony; Duval, Matthew; Kellar, Mike; Ticson, Edward
Subject: [name redacted] - Failing Drawing Class

[name redacted],

I just received an email from Professor Ticson saying you have three incomplete assignments and are currently failing Drawing. Please contact all of us immediately to explain why this is the case. Also, you will need to set up a time to meet with Professor Ticson to develop a strategy on how to complete the assignments to possibly get partial credit.

Again, please contact me immediately about this issue.

Thank you,
Gail

Gail M. Picillo '96
Athletic Academic Advisor
Siena College

This is the reply our reader's friend sent to the advisor, and on which he copied more than two dozen other people:

From: [name redacted]
Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2012 8:58 PM
To: Picillo, Gail
Cc: Rossi, Tony; Duval, Matthew; Kellar, Mike; Ticson, Edward; Troy, Patrick; Pepe, Michael; Murray, John; Coleman, Joseph; Reynolds, Michael; Lacamera, Nicholas; Cook, Ryan; Decker, Matthew; Gorman, Bryan; Slaybaugh, Caitlin; Servello, Lauren; McMillan, Kristin; McQuillan, Deirdre; Malone, Julianne; Corbett, Katie; Fane, Tyler; Cifarelli, Joseph; Drown, Kevin; Drown, Sean; DeFazio, Matthew (Student, Class of 2009); DeFazio, Elizabeth; Speanburg, Wesley (Student, Class of 2009); Tasse, Benjamin (Student, Class of 2009); Kelly, Lauren; Fogarty, Michael
Subject: RE: [name redacted] - Failing Drawing Class

Good Evening Gail, Tony, Matthew, Mike, Edward, Johns, Billys, and Dusters alike,

I appreciate your concern. I really do. Your candor is undoubtedly impressive. When I was a freshman struggling aka going out 5 days a week to be clear, not really struggling, just not doing my work; I did not have 5 indivuduals like yourselves, 4 weeks into the school year to light a fire under my ass for me to get my shit done. This email and the countless others like it certainly proves how Siena College loves to coddle their STUDENT athletes. With that being said, it was very nice to hear from Siena College post-graduation, and not be hounded for a donation.

Upon reading your initial email I found it interesting and would like to know more about what "to develop a strategy on how to complete the assignments to possibly get partial credit." actually means. Last I check we are all students of the same college under the same rules with the same consequences. If one STUDENT athlete "can develop a strategy on how to complete the assignments to possibly get partial credit" why can't every STUDENT get that same opportunity. I speak for myself but I am sure every member of the class of 2012 would of liked to have someone like yourselves to light fires under our asses to get our work done.
One again it is great to see the concern for our STUDENT athletes.

Yours Truly,
[name redacted]
Townhouse 5 resident and graduating member of the class of 2012

PS Fogarty u only got cced to let u know that all members of townhouse 5 were fully employeed within 3 months of graduation

Thank You but most importantly with all of us being members of a Catholic Institution MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA

And this was the reply the athletic academic advisor sent back in response:

From: "Picillo, Gail"
Date: October 11, 2012 12:23:04 AM EDT
To: [name redacted]
Cc: Rossi, Tony; Duval, Matthew; Kellar, Mike; Ticson, Edward; Troy, Patrick; Pepe, Michael; Murray, John; Coleman, Joseph; Reynolds, Michael; Lacamera, Nicholas; Cook, Ryan; Decker, Matthew; Gorman, Bryan; Slaybaugh, Caitlin; Servello, Lauren; McMillan, Kristin; McQuillan, Deirdre; Malone, Julianne; Corbett, Katie; Fane, Tyler; Cifarelli, Joseph; Drown, Kevin; Drown, Sean; DeFazio, Matthew (Student, Class of 2009); DeFazio, Elizabeth; Speanburg, Wesley (Student, Class of 2009); Tasse, Benjamin (Student, Class of 2009); Kelly, Lauren; Fogarty, Michael
Subject: RE: [name redacted] - Failing Drawing Class

Hello [name redacted] and everyone,

Unfortunately [name redacted], this was an error that you received this message as it was intended for another student.

Thank you for your concern. Fortunately, the professor of this course offers all students opportunity to make up missing coursework for partial credit and is not limited to only student athletes.

I am happy to hear you have all been employed and have found great joy in the career path you have chosen.

Best of luck to you,
Gail

Gail Picillo
Athletic Academic Advisor

Photo via Matt Wade.