Visual

This visual represents my argument pretty well. Even though the focus of this chart is primarily on student athletes instead of the institution as a whole, it still conveys the issue of a loss of intellectualness in modern higher education. As the chart depicts, there is a significant difference between the GPA of non-athletes to athletes. The difference isn't as bad as one might think, but yet again these are averages that represent a large student body. I find it interesting that females, both athletes and non-athletes, have a much higher average GPA than males do. It makes me think, is gender a factor that contributes to the loss of the academic focus of higher education due to the presence of athletic programs?

Book Review #2

Brand, Myles. "The Role and Value of Intercollegiate Athletics in Universities." Journal of the Philosophy of Sport 33.1 (2006): 9-20. Print.

Myles Brand offers an excellent counter argument which will be crucial in creating a well rounded research paper. Brand begins by stating "The Standard View" of athletics in the university; athletics are perceived as being an extracurricular activity rather than a focal point for the prosperity of an institution. In Brand's description of the Standard View of college athletics he relates athletes to art and music programs. He makes a valid point in stating that art and music students are accepted into an institution based on skill, even if GPA and SAT scores are well below the minimum requirement set by the school. Student athletes and music/art students are actually quite similar; They must be accomplished in their the sport or program that they wish to be enrolled, they miss class sometimes to attend off-campus events, and the institution funds the programs. These are just a few of the examples that Myles Brand uses to justify the presence of intercollegiate athletics. Brand then presents the "Integrated View", which basically would replace the Standard view with one that is more balanced and sees athletics as part of the mission of the university. He concludes with saying that the educational value behind athletics should not be ignored, and it should be a positive part of university life and culture. 

Myles Brand is very knowledgeable on the the presence of athletic programs in American universities. He was the president of both the University of Oregon and Indiana University, as well as the president of the NCAA. At a glance it may seem that Brand is the ideal person to go to on matters pertaining to college athletics, but he actually offers a biased view. He is exactly the kind of person that feeds an institution to the wolves of the  entertainment industry that athletics represent. 

The Standard View- is the perception that intercollegiate athletics is an extracurricular activity, rather than an important part of education and campus culture.

The Integrated View- creating the perception that athletic programs are made a part of the central goal of the institution, or the educational mission of the university. 

"Some content is acquired in cognate courses, and that tends to be factual knowledge. The primary content, however, in both cases is knowledge how, and that is acquired in individual or group settings with a master teacher or coach." (12) The quote depicts how athletes do in fact learn while they are participating in the athletic programs. They learn factual things that can easily be applied to their life. 



"Division I, athletics departments should be self-supporting or, better, return revenue to the institution for central academic purposes. "(14)  Brand states that the financial funding that supports intercollegiate athletic programs should come from the program itself, and should not take away from university funding meant to enhance education; athletic programs should be self sustaining. 



"Intercollegiate athletics, at its best, demonstrates positive values. These values include striving for excellence, perseverance, resilience, hard work, respect for others, sportsmanship and civility, and losing—and winning—with grace."(17) This is yet another quote which states the positives that athletic programs bring to an institution of higher education. 


The material of this academic journal will serve as an essentially part of my counter argument. I will use the perspective of Myles Brand to question and complicate my research question. Even though big-time athletic programs take away from the intellectual integrity of the institution and sell out its resources in the name of entertainment, it still has positives that it brings to campus life and culture.

Book Review #1

Dowling, William C. Confessions of a Spoilsport: My Life and Hard Times Fighting Sports Corruption at an Old Eastern University. University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2007. Print.

In Dowlings, Confessions of a Spoilsport: My Life and Hard TImes Fighting Sports Corruption at an Old Eastern University, there are many different issues presented that strongly depict how big-time college athletics are toxic to the learning environment of higher education. The primary focus of Dowling's experience is at Rutgers University. Rutgers, once in what is known as the Patriot League, played Ivy League institutions such as Princeton, Colombia, and Yale, made the transition into the Big East conference. This was the beginning of an all out invasion that would prove to throw aside the intellectual foundation of the University. Increased funding and a focus on athletics inevitably resulted in a loss of a the educational environment that once consumed Rutgers. Dowling reflects on his experiences with the RU1000, a club dedicated to getting the word out about the reality of Big-time athletics in higher education. Through many ups and downs, the fight to get Rutgers back to the University that it once was would prove to be one that was out of the reach of such a small organization. All in all, Dowling provides evidence that shows just how harmful Div IA athletics are to the integrity of higher education, essentially alluding to the fact that there is no room for glorified athletics in higher education. 

William C. Dowling, once a professor of English at the University of New Mexico, experienced the corruption of athletics and how they diminish the value of education. He has seen, first hand, the negative effects that follow an institutions commitment to Div IA athletics. With his experience and ever lasting respect for education in American institutions, there is no better person to present these controversial facts. 

Some terms used frequently in his book are the "magic sphere" of Division IA athletics, and he often uses sports boosters as the reason that athletics continue to be such an important part of college.

Magic Sphere- is the term used to depict the bubble of corruption that surrounds college athletics. In this sphere anything goes , and recruits are guaranteed acceptance to a university at any cost necessary. 

Sports Boosters- sports advocates that view college athletics as the heart of a university. These people don't see any harm, only the so called benefit, that sports bring to a university. 

“a world in which the power wielded by the athletics department could rearrange, to any degree necessary, the environment in which athletes lived their daily lives” (pg. 7).-This quote describes the power tat athletics coaches have, and shows the corruption that lurks behind the curtain of college athletics programs. 

“..the only thing that matters at a university is big-time sports, the symbolic center of the institution has shifted profoundly”. (pg. 9).-The center of American institutions was once academics, but the presence of big-time athletics programs had lead to abrupt shift in the priorities of the modern institution. 

"Universities exist to transmit knowledge and understanding of ideas and values to students, and to add to the body of intellectual knowledge, not to provide entertainment for spectators or employment for athletes". -Friedman (pg.56).- Milton Friedman, a decorated Rutgers alumni endorsed the RU1000, and makes a clear point that athletics, in no way, contributes to the academic atmosphere that should be the center of a university. 

The material explained in Dowling's book strongly supports the topic of my research paper in the manner that it shows the degrading priorities of an institution committed to athletic success. It essentially provides me with the evidence needed to construct a well rounded research paper on the growing issue of Division IA athletics in higher education. It is short and to the point, with a clear message, it has proven to be exactly what I need to further my research.