If the allegations by former basketball players prove to be true, it will be an irrefutable sign that our university has gone too far. But there have been indications that the university’s priorities were shifting, and we have chosen to ignore them.
We, as students, have long been aware of the idea that athletes receive acceptable special treatment, academic or otherwise. However, in searching the Mirror’s archives we were able to find two statements alerting the community to potential injustices like athletes being excused from academic responsibilities. It seems students and faculty have been aware of the threat of unrestrained athletic favor for quite sometime.
This is not to say that all athletes receive “special treatment” and are not worthy of genuine academic praise-quite the contrary. Some of our athletes are star students, and they are to be commended. But their academic achievements are tainted when sub-par work from “special” athletes is tolerated by any of us. Excessive absence from class or inability to fulfill their roles in group projects brings down the standard for academic achievement in the classroom.
Yes, winning comes at a price, but what are we winning by compromising our academic values? Fairfield University states our intentions clearly in our mission statement that we are a “coeducational institution of higher learning whose primary objectives are to develop the creative intellectual potential of its students and to foster in them ethical and religious values and a sense of social responsibility.”
Have we, the Fairfield community, decided that a winning athletic program is worth abandoning the “mission” of Fairfield?
If we are not shocked by these allegations, therein lies the proof of our negligence.
The editorial represents the opinion of the majority of The Mirror editorial board. What is your opinion? Write to us: commentary@fairfieldmirror.com
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