Athletes should compete academically
By Daily Bruin Staff
May 7, 1998 9:00 p.m.
Friday, May 8, 1998
Athletes should compete academically
PRIORITIES: Scholastic standards must be set to maintain
reputation
By Ryan Kelly
The question, when it comes to student athletics, is a matter of
priorities. Is it our priority, as an institution, to strive to
achieve an academic environment second to none, or is it to
function as a farm team for professional sports? Given that
athletes bring in a ton of money for the school, I do not mean to
discount the achievements of the athletes, who somehow manage to
balance study with more practice than most of us can fathom.
They provide the only shred of unity that we, as a school, have.
There is no question as to the contribution that athletics makes to
the environment at UCLA. The issue is not, however, the lack of
contribution from the athletes. The issue at hand is if the school
is going to set an academic standard.
Every student must be compelled to adhere to that standard. This
means that, like it or not, if the average GPA for incoming
freshmen is 4.05, the average GPA of recruits must be 4.05. Period.
Anything less undermines the credibility of UCLA’s academic
integrity.
It is possible to have our cake and eat it too, however. Look at
Utah, who was the NCAA men’s basketball runner-up this season, and
started a Rhodes scholar with a 3.95 GPA. If UCLA coaching is up to
the task, we can lure outstanding student athletes, not only with
the promise of a full scholarship, but also the promise that they
will receive the same education as everyone else.
I applaud the efforts of UCLA sports teams past and present, and
challenge all future athletes to do as well in the classroom as
they do on the field.
