By EllenK

August 23, 2006 11:31 PM | Link to this

I have been long concerned with the overemphasis of athletics in our educational system. What began as a sport has metastasized into a moneymaking machine. As such, colleges and universities are constantly seeking more wins which translates into more tickets sold. That in turn allegedly provides the winning schools with more money to spend on students. But do they spend on the average student? If you look at the large successful schools, one of which is always called the “flagship school” in my state, they fund the showier aspects of education very well. The alumni endorsement on brass plaques shine brightly on museums and the names are published in athletic programs. But you seldom see the core university programs benefit from this largesses. Fine arts, liberal arts, literature and foreign languages are usually stuffed into older buildings to suffer for the few crumbs thrown at them in the name of progress. I have been to these high profile schools, and in many cases while their technology, business, engineering and athletics programs are top notch, their fine arts, literature and language classes are languishing in the 1970’s. It’s embarrassing and the alumni fuel this mania. What was extracurricular has become lifeblood service and the professionalism and commercialism that was once the realm of the NFL and NBA has filtered past college down to the high school and middle school level. When we give those who are athletically talented a free pass, we are setting them up to be emotionally stunted at whatever age they first gain skills superior to their peers. This is a huge disservice to these kids, many of whom will play out their high school and college eligibility without every getting a pro contract. It’s time to change the system and I am not sure how it needs to be done, but schools should be primarily for education-the other stuff is fluff.

By Mary

August 15, 2006 10:29 AM | Link to this

Dave, I agree let’s get some perspective. I agree, the Texas college president should be raked over the coals, but so should the college presidents (especially in Ohio and Texas), lawmakers, board of trustees and board of regents who approve exorbitant pay packages for coaches. Less than 50% of Division I college athletic budgets break even, even by loosey-goosey accounting. Even by NCAA statements and other groups like the Knight Commission, athletic spending is outpacing by far other spending at universities - so students can watch games while student loan debt and classroom sizes go through the roof. The alumni giving myth is put through the microscope by both books “Beer and Circus” and “The Game of Life”. Connecticut, I believe, does not allow college coaches to get all the cushy money for endorsements and exploit their state government position. If athletic departments really make as much money as they claim, it should be plowed back into the academic mission (the real college mission) to hire professors and lower student tuition debt. If OSU athletics, for example, is so wealthy, why did the taxpayers also have to fork over money for the Horseshoe renovation some years back? Also, why are university lawyers (on whose overhead?) involved in the Coach O’Brien (former basketball coach) lawsuit and $2.X million settlement? I can hear the tuition going up now to cover the losses.

By Mark

August 14, 2006 5:21 PM | Link to this

I recently graduated from the University of Houston which is 3 blocks away from TSU and it’s been interesting to watch what all she charged to TSU’s account. Don’t forget all the furniture and china.

By Dave

August 14, 2006 11:15 AM | Link to this

Let’s keep our perspective here. Students at least can watch the games, and it can help with alumni donations and influences many students in school choice. TSU is half the size of Sinclair Comm. College, and they allege that in 7 years, she stole $1.9 MILLION for her PERSONAL use.

By Mary

August 14, 2006 7:08 AM | Link to this

I have no problem with the jsutice system going after university presidents who mispend and misappropriate funds, but this woman’s landscapping bill is just a drop in the bucket to what all universities misprioritize. The editorial in Saturday’s Dayton Daily News about Ohio’s pay packages for college presidents is just a start. It is intersting that the obscene pay packages for football coaches was never mentioned. I blame also trustees, Board of Regents, and lawmakers. How many tax dollars were poured into the Horseshoe renovation at OSU and the stadium in Cincinnati? I think a lot more than the Texas Southern University president’s landscaping bill.