Athletes and academics at UNC

[JasonEvans]

I don't think this quite fits into the Hairston or Indictments threads, as it is a completely different issue. Maybe we will merge at some point. But, for now, this gets it own thread.

Read this article in today's N&O (http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/10/04/3253885/unc-faculty-members-ask-probing.html).


This fall, UNC-Chapel Hill enrolled 160 new student athletes, and 14 of them had a predicted grade point average of below a “C,” placing them at risk for academic trouble. Of the 14 in the lowest predicted GPA group, nine are from the revenue sports of basketball and football.

Wayne Lee, a professor of history, suggested that (freshman ineligibility) would ensure that athletes perform better academically.

“Why can’t UNC unilaterally say this is what we’re going to do, this is going to be our policy?” Lee asked.

Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham answered: “It would put us at a very competitive disadvantage in two primary sports.”

Clearly, there is a large and vocal portion of the UNC faculty wondering how athletics fits into the university's education mission. Essentially, UNC is publicly wrestling with many of the difficult questions about the future of athletics at the university level. It is a difficult dance, that's for sure.

-Jason "freshman ineligibility could work in football (where even many elite players expect to redshirt their first year in school), but not in basketball" Evans

[lotusland]

I don't think this quite fits into the Hairston or Indictments threads, as it is a completely different issue. Maybe we will merge at some point. But, for now, this gets it own thread.

Read this article in today's N&O (http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/10/04/3253885/unc-faculty-members-ask-probing.html).



Clearly, there is a large and vocal portion of the UNC faculty wondering how athletics fits into the university's education mission. Essentially, UNC is publicly wrestling with many of the difficult questions about the future of athletics at the university level. It is a difficult dance, that's for sure.

-Jason "freshman ineligibility could work in football (where even many elite players expect to redshirt their first year in school), but not in basketball" Evans

Not that it would ever happen but I wonder how the NBA would react if freshmen were ineligible. The one and done rule wouldn't make sense so they would either start drafting players out of HS or raise the age limit again. On the other hand if the age limit was not changed how would that change recruiting? Would schools still "waste" a scholarship on recruits who would likely never play?

[dukeofcalabash]

Letting those sure fire NBA prospects go directly to the pros would be a bitter pill for so many college coaches and fans to take, but it would be like that old home remedy 'Castor Oil' where you felt fine a day or two later. College football and basketball both need a good cleansing that would result in a much 'healthier' environment afterwards. PS -- And it's NOT just Cheaterlina that I'm referring to.

[SoCalDukeFan]

Strange to see those two words as the title of a thread, let alone in the same sentence.

SoCal

[Newton_14]

I don't think this quite fits into the Hairston or Indictments threads, as it is a completely different issue. Maybe we will merge at some point. But, for now, this gets it own thread.

Read this article in today's N&O (http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/10/04/3253885/unc-faculty-members-ask-probing.html).



Clearly, there is a large and vocal portion of the UNC faculty wondering how athletics fits into the university's education mission. Essentially, UNC is publicly wrestling with many of the difficult questions about the future of athletics at the university level. It is a difficult dance, that's for sure.

-Jason "freshman ineligibility could work in football (where even many elite players expect to redshirt their first year in school), but not in basketball" Evans

I am very much against the freshman ineligible rule for lots of reason, one of them being that almost all of them enroll in the summer sessions prior to the fall of their freshman year, and some Football players actually enroll in January prior to the Fall of their freshman year, so they get time to adjust to the classroom and schedules of class work. There are many other reasons why this is not really a good idea in this era.

What I am for is not accepting kids that cannot cut it academically at that particular school. Also, i have maintained for a long time now that schools need to offer a Professional Sports curriculum and major. It should be open to anyone, and have varying courses. A Jabari Parker could major in Professional Sports with an emphasis on Basketbal Player. A Tyler Thornton could major in Professional sports with an emphasis on coaching, etc. Jabari and Tyler would have some common classes but other classes unique to their emphasis. Kids aspiring to work in professional (or college athletics) as agents, trainers, GM's, broadcasters, scouting, etc etc would have courses different than Jabari and Tyler. You would still need normal core courses like English, Math, etc, but also class in business, finances/taxes, etc. For kids that aspire to be basketball players, some classes would be actual time in the gym working on skill work to improve their individual skillsets in their sport, and the assistant coaches would be the teachers running the "class".

I know this is thinking pretty far outside the box, but I do think it could work and be beneficial.

[Merlindevildog91]

Strange to see those two words as the title of a thread, let alone in the same sentence.

SoCal

Athletics > academics at unc.

[cspan37421]

What I am for is not accepting kids that cannot cut it academically at that particular school. Also, i have maintained for a long time now that schools need to offer a Professional Sports curriculum and major. It should be open to anyone, and have varying courses. A Jabari Parker could major in Professional Sports with an emphasis on Basketbal Player. A Tyler Thornton could major in Professional sports with an emphasis on coaching, etc. Jabari and Tyler would have some common classes but other classes unique to their emphasis. Kids aspiring to work in professional (or college athletics) as agents, trainers, GM's, broadcasters, scouting, etc etc would have courses different than Jabari and Tyler. You would still need normal core courses like English, Math, etc, but also class in business, finances/taxes, etc. For kids that aspire to be basketball players, some classes would be actual time in the gym working on skill work to improve their individual skillsets in their sport, and the assistant coaches would be the teachers running the "class".


not to mention courses in contract law, investments, marketing, ....

[cspan37421]

Athletics > academics at unc.

I like how you write in code so any lurking sheep won't understand you.

[Indoor66]

Athletics > academics at unc.

Is that a math expression within a liberal arts concept?

[-bdbd]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/acc/2013/10/08/north-carolina-tar-heels-pj-hairston-roy-williams-tutor/2940985/

Top of today's USA Today Sports section... UNC tutor for last 23 years resigns in protest over school's "disgraceful" handling of P.J. Hairston affair.

[moonpie23]

here's the result....

[BD80]

I find it more interesting that the university is refusing to grant current students credit toward graduation for the "bogus" courses (per DBR front page). This is an admission that those courses were not competent for academic progress.

So how many athletes relied on the credit they received from those "bogus" courses to maintain academic eligibility?

unc is hiding behind "university policy" that seals transcripts one year after graduation. If there were a law at the root of the cover-up, that would be one thing, but a university "policy?" Fishy.

Also, the story says transcripts are sealed "one year after graduation." I'd bet that many of the athletes at issue never bothered to graduate once their final season was over. Inquiring minds want to know!