Higher education + semi-pro sports = ?

It's that time of year again--"March Madness". The NCAA men's basketball tournament. And it once again reminds me why I have an increased feeling of alienation from my alma maters. The core value proposition of any college or university is education. And the semi-professional athletic programs do nothing to help this goal. Far from it, I believe they detract from it.

Really, what is the link between althletic and intellectual prowess? Sure, one needs to keep in shape physically to be in top form mentally. But college sports have forgone the balance between the two long ago. The pressure to win ensures that when choosing to spend time and energy on academics or athletics, athletics inevitably wins.

This is a hell of a mixed message to be sending to the other students, too. There are essentially two tracks to getting a diploma. One involves actual education, and the other involves being good at sports, taking simplistic classes and getting a degree in "Sports Management" or "Communications".

James Duderstadt, President Emeritus of the University of Michigan, wrote a book called Intercollegiate Athletics and the American University. I only wish more people in positions of power at the university would subcribe to this point of view and do something about it.