SpeaksOut

Friday, May 8, 1998

SpeaksOut

ADMISSIONS: Sports fan or not, the presence of UCLA athletics
seems impossible to escape. Whether it means being stuck in traffic
on a Thursday night during basketball season or sitting in the
crowd as the football team triumphs over USC (yet again), athletics
is an integral part of student life. Over the past two weeks
Viewpoint has received submissions on the role of athletics at UCLA
and the status of student-athletes. Some wrote in that
student-athletes are under-appreciated "work-horses," while others
thought they unnecessarily receive special privileges. Below is a
sample of the responses received.

"I think its fair to let some athletes in because I think its
important part for school to have good athletics and there can be
some exceptions to the rule."

Peter Abbott – 2nd year, Undeclared

"I don’t think its necessarily fair because I know a lot of
athletes who get by because they get fringe benefits that nobody
else gets, and it’s not fair that they don’t have to work as hard
as everybody else does."

Shaana Baluch – 3rd year, Psychology

"It seems kind of unfair. They should look at their academic
abilities too, and if they don’t think they live up to the
requirements, then even if they’re the greatest athlete in the
world, they shouldn’t be admitted. There are a lot of athletes that
are really smart too, though."

Elizabeth Chang – 1st year, Psychobiology

"Being that this is an academic institution, I don’t think that
athletics should play a big role in admissions. You have to draw a
line – either this is an institution to draw in money and funds, or
a place to provide a higher learning."

John Carlos Fonseca – 3rd year, International Economics

"I guess it kind of depends. If the athletes are significantly
below the academic level of other students then maybe they
shouldn’t be considered, but if they are close and they’re going to
be playing for the school and helping the school out, then I think
it’s OK."

Nicole Stackhouse – 3rd year, Psychological Sciences

"I think its fair to admit athletes to our school. Academics
isn’t everything. Some people work hard at athletic achievement
while others work hard at educational achievement. If you can do
one thing exceptionally well, then why not?"

Kei Yamada – 2nd year, Economics

DERRICK KUDO/Daily Bruin

Athletes like Travis Haynes must deal with training, competition
and classes.

Kelly Rudolph is a student and co-captain of the tennis team