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Saturday, March 11, 2006

A Letter to the Washington Post

The fascinating front-page article on Omar Williams's undistinguished academic career ["A Player Rises Through the Cracks," March 5] before being accepted by George Washington University left one vital question unanswered: Precisely what courses has he taken at GW that have him on schedule to graduate in May? Given his lack of academic achievement before arriving at George Washington, and the time demands placed on him by its basketball program, it is difficult to believe that he could have successfully concluded any genuinely college-level course. It seems that the courses taken by many so-called student athletes at Division I schools are of precious little educational value and serve simply to ensure athletic eligibility.



The Drake Group is asking the same question, insisting that universities

...publiciz[e] what classes student-athletes [are] taking, their teachers and academic advisors, and their grades in those classes.

Basically, everything but the athlete’s name would be disclosed under The Drake Group’s vision. Refraining from naming names, [Executive Director B. David] Ridpath said, would make the focus on the institution, not the athlete.

“Even to some of the most jaded viewers of college athletics, the APR [Academic Progress Rate system] in principle and on the surface sounds like a really good idea,” Ridpath said. “What we’re not getting at is what is going on under the surface.”

The APR keeps track of athletes staying eligible and in school by way of a point system. A score of 925 is thought to translate to an appealing graduation rate.

Ridpath, though, said there was more to it, and references a recent Washington Post story regarding Omar Williams, a basketball standout at George Washington University.

Williams has maintained eligibility at the elite private institution and reportedly is set to graduate in May, despite not graduating from high school, earning no grades at three different prep schools and being the subject of numerous sources saying he has no interest in academics.

“How is he making it at a school like George Washington?” Ridpath said. “We want full transparency of what’s going on behind the scenes."



One thing about the behind the scenes thing : As a number of observers point out, NCAA sanctions single out poor corrupt universities and leave rich corrupt universities alone. The richer the university, the more personnel they can hire to contrive courses and grades and majors for players who need them. The poorer places, lacking the expensive smoke and mirrors, are more exposed.

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There's so much to learn! The proper phrase is "bunny classes."