Right? The reality is most of these athletes deliver far more to the university--both in their time here and beyond it--than they take from it, and as often more than the many students who earned their way in academically deliver. And we are a public institution after all--one that at least claims to aspire to serve people of all backgro…
Right? The reality is most of these athletes deliver far more to the university--both in their time here and beyond it--than they take from it, and as often more than the many students who earned their way in academically deliver. And we are a public institution after all--one that at least claims to aspire to serve people of all backgrounds. I often think about the case of Russell White when this argument creeps up. A prop 48 case, Russell probably should never have gotten into Cal, and likely never otherwise would at any point in the program's history (sans for maybe the Mike White tenure). Of course, he not only succeeded and flourished athletically, but because of the strong academic support system at the time, he also became a beacon for what Cal aspires to deliver academically as well. He largely sacrificed a professional football career to earn his degree and came back to get his graduate degree as well. We surely need to evaluate athletes ability to survive and thrive here, but that potential doesn't only show up in the minimum requirements we make for them.
Right? The reality is most of these athletes deliver far more to the university--both in their time here and beyond it--than they take from it, and as often more than the many students who earned their way in academically deliver. And we are a public institution after all--one that at least claims to aspire to serve people of all backgrounds. I often think about the case of Russell White when this argument creeps up. A prop 48 case, Russell probably should never have gotten into Cal, and likely never otherwise would at any point in the program's history (sans for maybe the Mike White tenure). Of course, he not only succeeded and flourished athletically, but because of the strong academic support system at the time, he also became a beacon for what Cal aspires to deliver academically as well. He largely sacrificed a professional football career to earn his degree and came back to get his graduate degree as well. We surely need to evaluate athletes ability to survive and thrive here, but that potential doesn't only show up in the minimum requirements we make for them.
^^^^this!!