College administrators and athletic departments, along with the media and much of the broader public, proclaim that college athletics are the “front porch” of the university. If athletics are a … Continue reading “Should University “Books” Be Judged By Athletics “Covers”?”
Corporate media owes a lot of its ideological conformity and hubris to journalism schools. Media critics and advocates for reform suggest that journalism needs to return to being a trade … Continue reading “The Cancel-Your-College-Coach Playbook”
As a long-time faculty member at a small, private, liberal-arts college, I’ve come to dread my daily glance at the industry’s trade journals, the Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside … Continue reading “Athletics in the Small-College Marketplace”
Economists call someone who gets paid more than necessary to produce a good or service a “rent-seeker.” Arguably the preeminent rent-seeker in higher education, Terry Hartle, announced his retirement recently … Continue reading “Wanted: A Successful Collegiate Rent-Seeker”
Colleges perform two vital functions: They disseminate to the people (especially their own students) the knowledge and wisdom acquired through time in ways that enhance the common good, and they also … Continue reading “Colleges: Go Back to Basics”
Since the Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling in NCAA v. Alston, collegiate sports have been roiled with confusion and a lack of clarity regarding name, image, and likeness (NIL) rules. When … Continue reading “NIL Chaos Hits College Athletics”
Intercollegiate sports, particularly football and basketball, have ever so slowly, over the years, inserted themselves insidiously into the fabric of most universities with the support of alumni, the business community, … Continue reading “For Intercollegiate Sports, When is Enough Enough? “
Fifty years ago, I entered the University of Tennessee-Knoxville as a freshman scholarship runner on its high-profile track team. The NCAA held athletes to a strict amateur code in which … Continue reading “The Sea Changes at the NCAA”
The importance of college football to university education is vastly overrated. Rather than an integral part of the college experience, football means more student debt, another burden for taxpayers, and … Continue reading “Is College Football an Expensive Luxury for Many Universities?”
College athletics is big business. And head coaches of successful teams have the salaries to prove it, particularly in football and men’s basketball. Although sports are canceled, for now, it’s … Continue reading “Did You Know? The Highest Coaching Salaries in the UNC System”