This volume offers a critical analysis of how college athletic programs can contribute to the mission of a university in meaningful ways that reach beyond their roles in providing revenue and entertainment. The emphasis is on practices in college athletics at institutions in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I,…

The release of "The Game of Life: College Sports and Educational Values" by William G. Bowen and James L. Shulman and the recent publication of several other books on the same topic have made it clear that athletics reform is a cause of self-questioning among leaders in higher education. Periodic attempts at the reform of college…

Encourages trustees, as educational leaders, to honestly evaluate the influence of organized sports on their institutions and U.S. culture, asserting that the values and behavioral expectations in the athletics community run counter to those essential to the functioning of a civil society. (EV)

Asserts that big-time sports distort educational values, and discusses faculty's role in restoring a better balance. (EV)

Since 1972, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules have allowed freshmen to play varsity football and basketball. College athletics has changed dramatically in intervening years, and the pressures of competition create a situation in which it is difficult for freshman athletes to develop a well-balanced academic, social, and…

This article argues for involvement by college academic faculty in intercollegiate athletic reform efforts. Major issues at the institutional level are identified (such as integration of the student athlete into the student body); opportunities for campus involvement are suggested; and implications for faculty of increased dialog with athletics…

The leadership in rebuilding the image of athletics must come from the athletic directors and coaches. The athlete must be expected to develop and perform adequately socially, academically, and personally as well as athletically. (MLW)

College and universities are struggling to address a decline in public trust. College athletics can be used to enhance public perceptions of higher education by having coaches and players promote education; highlighting multicultural athletes' successful teamwork; and encouraging athlete participation in community service projects. (MSE)

College/university governing boards should consider various issues in determining whether to pursue athletic success: legal considerations, including coaches' salaries and compliance with Title IX provisions; potential weakening of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's ability to enforce standards; the financial realities of major college…

The role of the college athletic coach has changed substantially in recent decades, with the ideal of the coach as an educator obsolescent. Institutions must work with the National Collegiate Athletic Association and coaches' associations for reform, addressing three major issues: need for a better hiring process, provision of meaningful…