Comments on: The plight of student-athletes http://springtimefordubcek.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/the-plight-of-student-athletes/ A blog about how I'm (not) writing my dissertation Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:58:44 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Colleen http://springtimefordubcek.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/the-plight-of-student-athletes/#comment-119 Colleen Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:36:46 +0000 http://springtimefordubcek.wordpress.com/?p=86#comment-119 I agree that athletics do not seem to mesh with the academic mission of universities, but considering the amount of money sports bring in, I doubt you'll ever see them disappear. Also, I would reemphasize the point that most student athletes are not getting a full ride. In fact, lots of parents meet with bitter disappointment when they discover, after years of pushing their kids to high levels of sports achievement with the glimmer of a free ride in their eyes, that most college athletic programs simply do not have the money to offer many students anything more than a paltry scholarship. Academic scholarships are likely more plentiful and lucrative than sports scholarships, as they can come from a variety of outside sources as well as the school. And if you're looking at schools below the top 25 or so, you're looking at a real possibility of nearly a full ride on scholarly merit while the athletes get nothing. Another thing to consider is that for the highest-level student athletes, such as the football or basketball players on full rides, their career goals most likely are in the professional sports arena. They need the high-level training and competition offered by college athletics the same way the rest of us need the classes in our majors. Really, it's admirable the efforts colleges and (most) student athletes make to keep up with courses during the season. Yes, the university is providing athletes with special tutoring and maybe even people to take notes, but these aren't services exclusive to athletes. You work for the UW writing center, which is available to all students, after all. And the rest of us get by on friends sharing notes because we don't need to miss class the way athletes with university-dictated commitments do. No, that doesn't mean student athletes should be allowed to slide by on no work. You can be accommodating to their need for more time or alternate assignments (just like with special-needs students) without just rubber-stamping them on to the next course. Besides, it's not just athletes who shirk on sessions. Plenty of people put in an appearance without actually preparing or participating -- would you miss them if they weren't there? It's not a terrible thought having athletes take off a semester when their sport is in season, but there's likely too many logistical issues. Some sports are always in season. Some schools work on a quarter system instead of semesters, so the season might overlap multiple quarters. The biggest problem would likely be students not wanting to spend like eight years in college. Even redshirts only stay one extra year. I agree that athletics do not seem to mesh with the academic mission of universities, but considering the amount of money sports bring in, I doubt you’ll ever see them disappear.

Also, I would reemphasize the point that most student athletes are not getting a full ride. In fact, lots of parents meet with bitter disappointment when they discover, after years of pushing their kids to high levels of sports achievement with the glimmer of a free ride in their eyes, that most college athletic programs simply do not have the money to offer many students anything more than a paltry scholarship. Academic scholarships are likely more plentiful and lucrative than sports scholarships, as they can come from a variety of outside sources as well as the school. And if you’re looking at schools below the top 25 or so, you’re looking at a real possibility of nearly a full ride on scholarly merit while the athletes get nothing.

Another thing to consider is that for the highest-level student athletes, such as the football or basketball players on full rides, their career goals most likely are in the professional sports arena. They need the high-level training and competition offered by college athletics the same way the rest of us need the classes in our majors.

Really, it’s admirable the efforts colleges and (most) student athletes make to keep up with courses during the season. Yes, the university is providing athletes with special tutoring and maybe even people to take notes, but these aren’t services exclusive to athletes. You work for the UW writing center, which is available to all students, after all. And the rest of us get by on friends sharing notes because we don’t need to miss class the way athletes with university-dictated commitments do.

No, that doesn’t mean student athletes should be allowed to slide by on no work. You can be accommodating to their need for more time or alternate assignments (just like with special-needs students) without just rubber-stamping them on to the next course. Besides, it’s not just athletes who shirk on sessions. Plenty of people put in an appearance without actually preparing or participating — would you miss them if they weren’t there?

It’s not a terrible thought having athletes take off a semester when their sport is in season, but there’s likely too many logistical issues. Some sports are always in season. Some schools work on a quarter system instead of semesters, so the season might overlap multiple quarters. The biggest problem would likely be students not wanting to spend like eight years in college. Even redshirts only stay one extra year.

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