There are multiple questions that swirl
insistently around higher education in America: questions of access, affordability,
priorities, focus, quality, completion, transparency, and more. This is to be expected as the costs of
higher education escalate and both governments and families seek solutions to
the issues and proof that the return on the investment in higher education will
justify its cost. In this climate
another question emerges with growing intensity: how can we justify the
presence of intercollegiate athletics, and its associated costs?
It is a reasonable and fair question.
There are very few colleges and universities where intercollegiate athletics
pays its own way. The difference
between revenues and costs must therefore come from tuition or state support,
or both. So the question posed above really is one of what benefits does
athletics provide that justify the investment of tax revenues or tuition? A common answer posits that athletics
is the “front porch” of the university, that it invites and encourages the
engagement and support of alumni, the community, and the private sector. Many
believe that athletics promotes and strengthens the brand of the institution. It
is frequently asserted that individuals or entities that support athletics at a
college or university will support academic and student programs as well. All of these ideas may well be
accurate. And they may provide a
sufficient justification for athletics to some, but certainly not to all.
There can be little doubt that athletics
is deeply, and probably irreversibly, integrated into American higher
education. Some might wish
this was not the case, but we have to deal with the world as we find it, and not
as we wish it to be. Given this reality, are there attributes of athletics that
make it a valuable part of colleges and universities? At the University of Rhode Island I think the answer is
yes.
Excluding facilities for the moment,
scholarships are the largest single component of athletics budgets at URI and similar
institutions: not coaches’ salaries, not travel, equipment, or operations. This is important because, in essence,
scholarships are direct investments in the student-athletes. Therefore, when we
examine the value of athletics to a campus, we need to assess the value of
these young men and women to our endeavors and our community. At the University
of Rhode Island, our student-athletes are overwhelmingly a positive force on
campus. They tend to perform at a
high level academically, have substantially higher graduation rates than the
rest of the student body, are engaged, and are leaders. About 35% of them are
on the Deans’ List. They set a
terrific example for other students with regard to dedication, time management,
engagement, and commitment. Most of these outstanding individuals would not be
here if they were not able to compete while pursuing their education, and URI
would be diminished by their absence.
Our student athletes bring important
diversity to our campus. Diversity is an asset, an advantage, for our student
body and for our community as whole.
America is an increasingly diverse country, and obviously part of a
diverse global society. Facilitating understanding of the nature, history,
sociology, values, and perspectives of diverse cultures, ethnicities,
world-views, and orientations is educationally valuable and, I would argue,
critical to our students’ success in a global economy and global society.
One notable attribute of global society is
its fascination and devotion to athletics and sports. The Olympics, the World
Cup, March Madness, the proliferation of professional sports across the world,
all are clear indicators of the human fascination (some would say “obsession”)
with athletic competition. Yes
this fascination can be divisive, even violent. But it can also play a central
role in building the fabric of community, in bringing people together, and
bridging difference. Hollywood has
captured and portrayed this aspect of sports in compelling ways (e.g in the
movies Mandela and the upcoming 42) and in quirky, amusing ways (e.g Silver Linings Playbook).
Intercollegiate athletics can assist
campus communities in bridging differences, in finding common ground, in
building relationships. In short – athletics can, and frequently does, foster
community. It connects the campus
community at any given moment to a wider community of alumni, constituents, and
supporters of the university. Our athletes participate in all aspects of campus
life, often in leadership roles. They are great representatives of URI in the
wider community, and with alumni and friends of the university. They give back in manifold ways, such
as supporting Habitat for Humanity, serving as Peer Advocates (see our homepage
for the story), or saving lives by donating bone marrow.
Of course, there are times when athletics
programs and student-athletes fall short. Intercollegiate athletics, especially
in Division I, has suffered both chronic and episodic problems that are serious
and troubling. It appears that the cultures of athletics on some campuses may
be deeply damaging to the institutions. But both minor and serious problems occur
in practically all endeavors that involve people. At URI the athletic
leadership and coaches are committed to building a culture of excellence – in
competition, in academics, and in service. It is also a culture that embraces
diversity, instills pride in oneself and in URI, and that develops leadership,
and thereby strengthens the university. Moreover, athletics can enhance a
university’s brand, its reputation, and even its funding. In the final analysis, however, I think
the presence and qualities of our student athletes, and the tremendous positive
contributions they make to the life of the URI community, justifies our
investment in them and in athletics.
