Vindicating Violations

If I ever go for my phD., my thesis will read something like this: “The prevalence of academic integrity violations in college athletics”. I will then proceed to break down violations by each NCAA division. Why? Because the disturbing trend of athletic teams committing NCAA infractions continues to haunt college athletics.
The most recent account of academic violations takes us to North Carolina. The Tar Heels’ football program is dealing with academic misconduct involving a tutor and multiple football players. Head coach, Butch Davis, runs a pretty tight ship, despite NC’s mediocre profile status in the ACC. Davis is the leader of the team but has been accused of paying a tutor to act as a nanny to his son. Instead, the tutor was helping Davis’ players with their academic pursuits. The tutor has been accused of writing papers for many players. Obviously, ethical considerations are the major theme surrounding this story. UNC self-imposed an investigation into the infractions. The program is already being eye-balled for previous accusations of violations involving agents. In addition, one of the players named in the tutor investigation has reportedly been interviewed about receiving gifts and benefits.
(It’s time for me to get on my soapbox)
This topic is one I am passionate about because it aggravates me when I see top college programs breaking the rules. They are not cheating the very governing body that was created to enhance their academic opportunities. Besides cheating the system, players and coaches who violate the rules also cheat the university, their teammates and themselves. College athletics should not be represented by people who do not have integrity. In my opinion, academic integrity and athletic integrity go hand-in-hand. Who’s to say breaking an academic standard won’t pour over into athletics. Coaches who permit tutors to write papers for their players are apt to permit recruiting and game tampering violations. Perhaps Davis’ “academic coach” was really hired to help raise his own child. Maybe this woman was led astray by the players themselves or offered to help out only to be taken advantage of by the team. But all parties are to blame, including the tutor and head coach. Three players are being investigated for the single infraction.
In these situations, authority figures tend to turn their head the other way even if they know what’s going on. I can say with accurate credibility that for every team caught breaking the rules, there is one out there who has not been caught. I know what goes on in athletic departments and how professors, coaches and players tend to bend the rules in order to keep players eligible for games. I am all for academic tutors in college athletics. In fact, academic coordinators who specifically help athletes should be a part of every program at every level. I realize not every athlete is going to be a college scholar. Unfortunately for athletes, the majority of professional players go through college before they reach the pros. Even if athletes aren’t cut out for college classes, the age old rule learned in elementary school still applies. Cheating is never right and there is no way to vindicate cheating. It’s never the answer because in the end, you truly do only cheat yourself. I hold firm to that belief because I feel college is an important step in molding the character of adults.

Parting Points: Song of the day-“I’m dying of another broken heart” by Lindi Ortega