Michigan Academics Scandal: Not Really That Big A Deal According To NYT

[AUChizad]

http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/14/academics-questioned-at-michigan/

The difference between the way our "scandal" was portrayed in the front page article compared with this more egregious one is disgusting. Let alone they waited til the college football season was completely over to bring it up almost a year later.

January 14, 2009, 6:12 pm
Academics Questioned at Michigan
By Pete Thamel

In the convoluted world of college athletics and education, sometimes it takes a while for academics to acknowledge what appears to be obvious. That’s what happened at the University of Michigan, where The Ann Arbor News ran a series of articles last March with evidence that 251 athletes took independent study classes between 2004 and 2007 with the same professor and their grades were radically higher than in their regular classes. The series made it obvious that many of these athletes were steered to the professor, John Hagen, to help keep their eligibility. (Michigan, of course, denied this, kicking and screaming.)

The articles offered a rare peek behind the eligibility shell game played at so many colleges, as football stars like Gabe Watson played four years yet somehow fell 35 credits short of graduation. It also detailed how the kinesiology major is used as an avenue to admit student-athletes, who then transfer out before the difficult classes required of the degree. Many jumped to general studies, a major nearly half-filled with athletes, who make up 3 percent of the university student body.

So what has happened? On Wednesday, The News reported that a Michigan faculty committee requested sweeping changes in the wake of the series. Among the recommendations made by a faculty committee, according to reporter Dave Gershman:

¶”Remove the management of the academic counselors in the Academic Success Program from the Athletic Department, transferring it to the dean’s office in the College of LS&A (Literature, Science and the Arts).”
¶”Stiffen the oversight of the general studies degree in the College of LS&A by requiring the college’s academic advisers to make students come up with an individualized course of study.”
¶”Remove the task of hearing appeals of student athletes who wish to stay academically eligible to participate in sports from the Committee on Academic Performance.”

If you click on the story, there are more. But what this faculty committee essentially does is gently skewer Michigan for how it has handled its student-athletes. While the changes recommended aren’t radical, if accepted, they would be significant.

[El Guapo]

That goddamn Bammer media.

[AUChizad]

That goddamn Bammer media.

The Tuscaloosa News is a subsidiary of the New York Times.

Just sayin.

[Snaggletiger]

In bringing  Bammer analogy to this discussion...how much wailing and gnashing of teeth have we heard from Bama fans with regard the lack of prosecution on the NCAA's part with the allegations against USC and Reggie Bush etc.? Admittedly, the accusations about that whole affair would at least rival, if not exceed what Bama stared down the barrel of a loaded gun for.  But, here we are and barely a word about USC's impending doom or the NCAA's investigation.

Now, look at what the allegations against UM state.  251 student athletes taking independent study courses from ONE Professor?  Hmmm...sound vaguely familiar?  How long did the outcry concerning Auburn's "Scandal" go on in this State and around the country for that matter?

Stay tuned because Michigan is about to be publically humiliated over the next 2-3 months...

Right?   

[AuburnChopper 3.0]

I don't mind being told I'm wrong on this, but why do I seem to remember that the "whistle-blower" at the NYTimes on that deal (the big Auburn "scandal"), was a bama graduate? 

[Snaggletiger]

You're wrong.

Now...you didn't see anything.