Happy? Valley

Happy Valley ain’t such a happy place these days. The NCAA has punished Penn State University severely for some pretty horrendous conduct. The situation is likely to get worse for the University, both on the gridiron, as games are lost and “student-athletes” defect, and elsewhere, as additional civil and criminal trials occur. The message is clear – athletics cannot dictate how a University is run.

The Journal, in its July 25 editorial, correctly observed that “…long ago many schools sacrificed their core mission – educating students – for the glory of winning programs and loyal fan bases.” Yet, the NCAA missed a great opportunity to send the same message to all of its member institutions.

Here are four things the NCAA should consider doing in an attempt to reestablish some sort of balance in the “student=athlete” equation.

First, limit coaching salaries. It doesn’t take much brainpower to discern who is more important on a college campus when some coaches receive many multiples in remuneration than the highest academic officials. Members of the athletic department should receive, from all sources (alumni groups, boosters, car dealers, apparel, shoe and equipment companies etc.) no more than the average of, say, the five highest compensated non-athletic officials.

Second, there should be no separate athletic slush funds to which members of the public might make contributions. All gifts to academic institutions should go to the general fund of the institution. Perhaps there should be exception for funds specifically designated for the construction of facilities which might be used by athletes as well as the general campus population.

All revenues generated by the athletic department, including for tickets and the right to buy tickets to events and for special seating and food and drink accommodations, should go to the same general fund, not to the athletic department.

Third, scholarships should be granted on the basis of need, not athletic ability and should, once granted, be renewed annually on the basis of continued good academic standing, not because an athlete continues to play a sport.

Fourth, all revenues from “rights” to NCAA sanctioned events, like the rights to televise the “Big Dance,” should be divided equally amount the member institutions, perhaps with some weighting according to the “division” in which the institution is categorized.

Since the mid 1960’s, when the NCAA first injected itself into the internal academic affairs of its members, and bludgeoned a member from post-season tournament competition when its League refused to comply, it has shown a willingness to regulate far beyond the need to level the competitive playing field. It should do so in a grand way now.