OT:Allowing Athletes To Comeback To Get Degree

I always wondered how this work.  Is there not a time limit before continuing classes where the earned credits are wiped clean?

Anyone have a good counterargument for me?

I always thought that life time free education would be a nice benefit for athletes with minimal additional cost to the schools given the high fixed cost model of education.

Don't call it a comeback!

The potential for abuse where a student "goes to classes" for 4 years, gets no degree, and there's zero recourse is huge. The NCAA is toothless about most things but they do at least have APR restrictions that can keep teams out of the post-season and with this plan it blows all that up.

It seems like something that's going to get abused at a lot of schools where a huge number of students are directed away from actually getting a degree and benefits a relatively small number.

Moms delete

 

To implementing a right of return today. What a school decides to provide to a former athlete who is no longer subject to NCAA or conference rules is between the school and the athlete.

The athlete could graduate with an easy degree on time and later return for a business or engineering degree or the like. Why not do it?

Of course, the athlete should graduate timely with "a degree" to avoid the APR issues raised by some here.

I am not in favor.

It's funny, I did a BGS in the mid-80s and I didn't find it easy.  If I remember correctly, I had to do 60 credits at 400 level or above.  There aren't that many classes at that level without taking the pre-requisites in any given discipline.

I had originally thought I was going to be a Physics major, but realized I wasn't cut out for that.  Most of my 400 level classes were in Math, Physics, Computer Science and assorted literature classes (mostly in the English dept).  I suppose there might be some schools with easy 400 level classes, but they weren't apparent to me.  My education has served me very well (long career in IT) and I've never understood the poor reputation that BGS degrees have gotten.

There are athletes who can handle difficult majors, and ones who either can't or choose not to. Not to mention, even GS or interdisciplinary majors CAN be challenging if the student desires. You can make a very well-rounded program from advanced courses in a variety of departments if you go the GS route. Kinesiology, sports management, and related majors could also be truly interesting to athletes, who have professional ambitions in sports and spend most of their non-class time involved in athletics. If you're concerned about student athletes' abilities to have a rigorous academic experience, limit the amount of practice time, weight room time, film session time, playbook study time, etc. The thing I would be down with is a free graduate degree for former athletes. Not one that you might do in your fifth year, but one you could start and finish after your athletic eligibility ran out, and even one you could start 10, 20, or 30 years later (since many people have a gap between undergrad and grad school). The former player would still need to qualify like any other student, but tuition would be 100% free.

Easy on talking down degrees.

You need to provide some evidence that GS and Kines are easy.  They may be easier than some degrees but as far as I know they take work just like any other degree at Michigan.  

 

Also there are 4 different undergraduate programs at Kines so I'm not sure if you are talking more about Sport Management than Movement Sciences or what.  

I can see this so easily getting abused. Especially at your schools with less than stellar academic requirements. 

Let's be honest: there are plenty of kids who come into college who only care about getting to the NFL. Whether they eventually make it there or not. Going to class is just something they've got to put up with, and do just enough work in to get by. 

Sure, there are kids who would do it the right way, get to the NFL, and then come back and finish their degree. It's a lot to ask of a kid to be studying for nuclear engineering and mastering a playbook at the same time. But for every kid that does it the right way, I'd say at least 2-3 will just abuse it. Take all the shit classes that require little to no effort whatsoever, head off to the NFL, and then there's no repercussions for it. 

Sorry, but knowing those kids would be getting 100% full rides to virtually not have to give a shit about any of their grades or their classes would be infuriating. I also think it would be a slap in the face to every student at that school who's busting their ass trying to get their degree. 

The Athletic Department has a fund for this, so kids who go to pursue athletics can come back and finish. I am assuming it is for kids who don't make a bajillion dollars in the pros.

There is something like this already in place, though I don't know of the timing. I do know that if you've exhausted your athletic eligiblity, the University will cover 1 additional year to finish your degree. 

In fact, Michigan allows its former athletes to come back and take classes without paying tuition (at least for football in the case that I know of).

For all those who trashed Harbaugh for his comments about UM student-athlete academics back in 2007, well he is a man of his word. WD tweeted out yesterday a list of all players with declared majors and on the entire team there were only 3 or 4 BGS. Many majors were represented including economics, business, School of Information, psych etc. One player (I believe Noah Furbush) is Aerospace Engineering. Good to see Coach walking the walk after he talked the talk, you have to believe he had something to do with telling the advisors to stop steering his players into an easier major.

 

Most athletes get a degree in General Studies or Kinisology. These we all know are easy degrees

 

I'm surprised how many people here do not seem to understand what the Bachelor of General Studies actually is. It's a program that allows students to tailor their own course of study while still fulfilling most LS&A requirements. It's not a place to "hide" athletes - the really weak ones academically don't get admitted to LS&A in the first place.

A big reason why BGS is popular among athletes is that it allows for scheduling flexibility. If you're a football player and need to be at Schembechler Hall from 1:30 to 6:00, it may be difficult to take all of the normal required upper-level courses for a particular major. The BGS allows them to follow most of the requirements of a major while making it still possible to graduate on time.

It really bothers me when SEC practices are held up as an example for anything other than how NOT to do college sports. Fuck them.

We should be better than that ("we" being Michigan, the B1G, every other conference, and college football in general).

IMO, APR and holding schools accountable is essential. Ensuring real progress toward a degree is the biggest, most tangible benefit we give these kids. It separates college sports from a minor league.

Keeping that structure in place and THEN offering free tuition for athletes who want to return and pursue any level/degree they wish?  Sounds good to me.

Quick note - my guess is this would have to be available for all SA's per Title IX.

A tiny % of college athletes go on to play pro. All SA's benefit from a degree. I'm thrilled JH emphasizes academics, and uses a Michigan degree (and alum connections) as a selling point.