Schlissel on athletics and academics (AD search related)
Some great reporting from the Michigan Daily on Schlissel's take on sports and the academic life of the University. It is certainly worth posting anyway, but especially because of this:
Schlissel added that Curzan [English Prof. Anne Curzan, who serves as faculty liaison to the Athletic Department and requests reports every semester on any classes with more than 20 percent student-athletes enrolled] said the Athletic Department “often tries to keep her at arm’s length,” expressing frustration regarding the marginalization of faculty governance in these matters.
“That’s why I’m taking a bit of time with the search for Dave’s successor,” Schlissel said. “Some folks wanted me to hire an athletic director (earlier) so he could fire the current football coach and hire the next coach but I want to take the time to make sure we get someone who is not only technically adept, but can ensure that the program has financial and academic integrity, and also someone who shares the value system of realizing our mission.
“People have been saying all kinds of things about who I’m talking to about positions and this sports stuff, and they name names of people who I have no idea who they are,” Schlissel said. “I’ve really learned that this whole athletic sphere and the usual way you approach things just doesn’t work. It’s just a crazed or irrational approach that the world and the media takes to athletics decisions.
“It’s a time sink,” he added.
Schlissel seems committed to maintaining the academic integrity of the sports teams. People will panic about what this means about Michigan's competitiveness going forward, but I think that many of us would be happy with a balanced approach. We don't want to replicate what happened at UNC, certainly.
Link: http://www.michigandaily.com/article/schlissel-talks-athletics-and-admi…
November 11th, 2014 at 9:45 AM ^
I thinks this means a lot to the coaching situation. He is being very careful with his selection, and will continue to do so. If he has no complaint with Hoke's graduation rate or the treatment of his players, he will be less inclined to make a quick decision. Wins and losses are a priority but fall lower on the scale than a lot of us believe.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:52 AM ^
but the content here would be encouraging that he might get another year.
November 11th, 2014 at 11:47 AM ^
November 11th, 2014 at 1:29 PM ^
so yes, you're right..
November 11th, 2014 at 9:56 AM ^
i think hackett is going to fire hoke/hire a new coach and schlissel is saying he's fine with that because he considers other things more important.
November 11th, 2014 at 1:21 PM ^
I think that is a good read on it. Really this is all boiling down to what Hackett has in mind. Sadly, nobody actually knows a got dang thing about that.
November 11th, 2014 at 11:49 AM ^
November 11th, 2014 at 11:51 AM ^
is that when the Board of Regents were interviewing candidates for the President postion their concern would have included the state of Michigan athletics primarily football. Schlissel would have been vetted on his position regarding athletics and to what extent he would push for excellence in not only academics but athletics.
Schlissel has used "excellence" as the criteria in hiring a AD and by simple logic that would also include coaching. By any measure, the football program has degenrated to the point of mediocrity and is at its tipping point.
I have no doubt Schlissel will push for excellence in the athletic department wwhich includes success in competition. What sane President would want to orchestrate the demise of the winningest program in the country?
November 11th, 2014 at 5:33 PM ^
It's possible, if not likely, that the regents spent little time on athletics in comparison, and that they didn't go into terrible detail on the specifics. We had a much more stable athletic department at the time this was going on, so they may have assumed he'd have some time to acclimate himself before having to deal with such things head on.
And even when you vet someone, it's impossible to know exactly how they'll deal with with certain things when the time comes.
November 11th, 2014 at 12:16 PM ^
Schlissel was never going to make the decision to fire or retain him. Any vaguely competent AD is going to fire Hoke. I don't even think it means much in terms of who the next AD will be. It does lay out the priorities he'll be expected to hold. Coaching candidates will certainly be scrutinized for their attitude towards academics. That was always going to happen, even without these comments.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:41 AM ^
Thankfully, Schlissel is no Gordon Gee.
November 11th, 2014 at 11:39 AM ^
Could a more talented individual than myself take advantage of this photoshop opportunity?
November 11th, 2014 at 1:24 PM ^
You may enjoy this reddit thread.
https://www.reddit.com/r/photoshopbattles/comments/2lma7q/psbattle_the_…
November 11th, 2014 at 6:26 PM ^
Someone should make a dramatic cupcake Gee.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:42 AM ^
I think it's absolutely a good thing. The University of Michigan is a university, afterall. And a damn good and proud one at that.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:42 AM ^
Let panic commence as we wordsmith every Schlissel or Sam Webb comment like Wall Street does every Federal Reserve release.
OH MY GOD HE SAID SPORTS STUFF - HE DOESNT EVEN KNOW WHAT SPORTS IS?
HE SAID TIME SINK - THAT MEANS HE HATES ATHLETICS. WE ARE GOING TO BE BROWN UNIVERSITY. HE SAID IT PLAIN AS DAY.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:43 AM ^
November 11th, 2014 at 9:47 AM ^
a degree from Brown? That's a lateral move at worst in terms of getting a job.
November 11th, 2014 at 10:17 AM ^
Hell, it could be an improvement in terms of our football program.
November 11th, 2014 at 10:21 AM ^
But if I had wanted to go to Brown, or a school such as Brown, I would have. One of the reasons I picked Michigan was an opportunity to enjoy the spectacle of big time college athletics in addition to getting a great education. I suspect that is a factor in others' decisions also. I would hate to see athletics marginalized at Michigan, notwithstanding that we can all agree education is the primary purpose of and reason for selecting a university.
November 11th, 2014 at 10:55 AM ^
There's no way in hell I can believe athletics will ever be marginalized at Michigan... Look at the two statues on the Union that every freshmen is indoctrinated with fergodsakes! Scholar and Athlete... Michigan values both... to devalue one in favor the other kills the identitiy of what makes Michigan... Michigan...
:(
November 11th, 2014 at 11:14 AM ^
November 11th, 2014 at 11:16 AM ^
I was going more for the atmosphere of big collegiate sports rather than the literal numbers, but yes I do see your point. Regardless, it still would defeat the purpose of what Michigan espouses to do a potential 180 on a matter like this.
November 11th, 2014 at 11:52 AM ^
We have spent hundred of millions of dollars buliding palaces/churches/altars to sports. It is as part of the university as the words maize and blue, and leaders and best. It is all part of Michigan's history and tradition. There is no way that it becomes marginalized. I am sure that Hackett understands that since he has been marinating in the juices of the AD office under Brandon. He knows that there are bills to pay.
Exhale people, exhale.
November 11th, 2014 at 3:04 PM ^
Exactly. The bonded debt remaining on the stadium renovations means that there can functionally be no downplaying of the importance of football within the broader university.
What this statement does show is more evidence that Brandon ran the AD as a fiefdom unto itself, in a manner that was antithetical to the broader university's mission. Blocking faculty oversight of the curricular habits of student-athletes is consistent with the reports about Brandon attempting to poach donors from the academic side of the university.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:42 AM ^
There was another quote later in the article where Schlissel expressed his displeasure with the AD being increasingly divorced from the rest of the university. To me, it signifies that he's not willing to let the next Athletic Director run amok and is willing to sit on him a bit more, regardless of his dislike of the sphere.
November 11th, 2014 at 10:34 AM ^
he is living in an academic bubble and athletics are a necessary evil. I feared that when he was hired. This will not end well.
November 11th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
How do you get this conclusion? Have you not seen the reactions that players have been having with the resignation of Brandon? Community seems pretty fractured to me. Bringing the rest of campus together with the athletic campus can only help. I highly doubt it means lets go all UChicago and dismantle the athletic program for the sake of academics.
November 11th, 2014 at 11:43 AM ^
November 11th, 2014 at 9:45 AM ^
all good signs, IMO. There should be more faculty control.
November 11th, 2014 at 10:02 AM ^
Our recent football graduation rates are good, with our recruiting classes being good. What is he trying to fix in that regard?
November 11th, 2014 at 10:11 AM ^
Schlissel fired DB only about 100 days after he got to campus after hearing many different points of view and drawing his conclusions. I'd say he is deliberative (to borrow MGoBrewMom's phrase) not dithering.
November 11th, 2014 at 11:43 AM ^
I think he fired Brandon because that was becoming a distraction. Now that he's gone and some of the fire had been quenched it sounds like he's not doing what I would expect to be due diligence in an AD search.
November 11th, 2014 at 3:12 PM ^
Not knowing some of the names has nothing to do with not knowing the big names. For instance, I doubt he has a clue who the AD is at CMU which was one of the names touted by the media. I'm sure he'll be knowledgeable about the real candidates.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:45 AM ^
Love the Schlizz.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:46 AM ^
is probably going to have an affect on every major D1 athletic department. There is going to be increased scrutinty on the academic careers of atheletes. This sounds like Schlissel at least talking the talk when it comes to not making the mistakes UNC made.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:46 AM ^
By the way if you are a Harbaugh man - and you remember what Harbaugh said a few years back - what the Prez is saying is a lot more in alignment what what Harbaugh's ideals seem to be. So you should be pleased as the 2 men seem to be on a very similar page.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:50 AM ^
Schlissel actually knows a ton about football, and secretely played for Bo at Miami of Ohio as a high schooler, before hanging up the cleats in college to focus on his studies. Now, he is subtliminally attracting Jim Harbaugh, because he knows that Jim is the quickest way for the Michigan football team to regain a place at the top.
November 11th, 2014 at 11:56 AM ^
November 11th, 2014 at 10:59 AM ^
November 11th, 2014 at 9:50 AM ^
November 11th, 2014 at 9:57 AM ^
I'm not sure it's just about looking at academic records, but interviewing candidates to ensure that they can work with POTUMs ideas about how the AD should connect with the rest of the U and what kind of relationship the cadidates think an AD should have with the academic units of the university.
IOW, he's going to talk to candidates and ask, "I envision the AD doing A, B and C to work with the rest of the U, how do you think that can be accomplished?"
and their answers will determine if they are the right candidate.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:59 AM ^
In my time at M we all knew several football players the first year while living in S. Quad. (I also had 2 kids from my HS who were on the team). After that though, it seems there was little contact between the players and the normal university community (muggles!?). Several players have spoken about how much they enjoy university life once they figure out what it is. Usually when they are a Jr or Sr. Better integration of student athletes would benefit everyone.
November 11th, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
...I'm still not sure why you don't spend the X hours that it will take to find a new AD now rather than over the next 24 months. Schlissel would get it off of his plate and help with the coaching search.
I try not to borrow worry, but I fear that he wants to send a message that sports aren't that important to him. That's fine in the abstract, but Michigan is looking at hiring a new coach with a guy who is neither a professional AD nor the permanent AD. It may be doomsday thinking to imagine a Michigan squad that keeps losing and a Big House that's 1/3 empty, but that's hardly an unlikely doomsday. We are standing on the edge of it right now.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:53 AM ^
Has anyone run it through the Parse-O-Meter yet?
November 11th, 2014 at 10:04 AM ^
No, but expect Rhonda Jones' take on the situation soon... sadly.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:54 AM ^
Beyond that however - athletic ability vs academic integrity is uncomfortable to think about, just like we don't like to think how many players are injured when they play.
A NC team, with no injuries, and totally aboveboard academic performance, and no scandal or cheating whatsover, and certainly no oversigning. It's a good goal, yes.
It is really POSSIBLE in CFB today is the question.
November 11th, 2014 at 9:59 AM ^
But I would be happy with competing for Big Ten championships annually, with the occasional (once every ten years) run at the four-team playoff (assuming that it sticks around).
Michigan wouldn't be Alabama in that scenario, but we'd be competitive.
November 11th, 2014 at 10:07 AM ^
Michigan had to contend year in, year out with the resources committed. Otherwise bills won't get paid as the fan base will grow lethargic and unwilling to pay for mediocrity.