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Location: http://the.ricethresher.org/opinion/2004/04/02/faculty_council_report_athletics

April 2, 2004 > Opinion > Take faculty athletic report for what it is

Take faculty athletic report for what it is

We are happy that The Report on Athletics at Rice, completed by the Faculty Council Subcommittee on Athletics, was finally released to the entire student body, containing all the information that the Office of the General Council agreed could legally be released. It is only right that the students — as members of the academic community who support athletics — have access to this important information.

This report brings many facts to light regarding the academic qualifications and performance of scholarship student-athletes. While it is sure to generate controversy, it is important to keep in mind that the report is a study of varsity athletics at Rice from the perspective of some faculty, not the entire university. In addition, it was commissioned last May, before Rice’s 2005 move to Conference USA was announced.

A report by consulting firm McKinsey & Company, commissioned by the Board of Trustees, is due out in early May. We hope that this outside report, representing a broader investigation of varsity athletics, will evaluate the state of Rice athletics in a more complete context. We urge that it be made public quickly — unlike the faculty report, which suffered a multi-month delay.

We acknowledge the need for a study of athletics and hope any problems will be fully investigated and addressed.

At the same time, however, we support student-athletes as members of the Rice community. It is important to remember that any structural faults in the athletic program are not the fault of student-athletes as students or as individuals. The report should herald the beginning of a dialogue — not the alienation of fellow students.

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