At their meeting today, Ohio State University trustees thanked and praised retiring President Gordon Gee.They called him a peerless figure in higher education. Gee announced his July 1st retirement this week, days after the latest in a long line of his verbal gaffes became public. The December remarks before the OSU Athletics Council jabbed Notre Dame, Catholics and the academic integrity of Southeastern Conference schools. The trustees were notified of the remarks in January. They were uncovered by the Associated Press. Gee cited his age and wanting to spend more time with family as the reasons for retiring.