The University of Michigan Men's Glee Club was the highlight of my time as an undergrad. I was a introverted young adult, and pretty focused on my school work. The Glee Club was a structured social and music outlet for me, and a constant across my 4 years at U of M.I have so many great memories of my time with the club. I met one of my best friends in Glee Club; I single-handedly recorded all our concerts on our European Tour which then became CD Great Halls of Europe; I fell for a girl at our joint concert with Smith and Mt. Holyoke; And the pinnacle, I won the Michigan Song Writing Competition with my composition Memories of Michigan.
In the years since graduation, I have consistently given back to the Glee Club with financial donations every year. But I can no longer do that with good conscience, and it saddens me.
Perhaps you've seen my previous posts on the dangers of football, or even further back (on my now defunct Yahoo 360 blog) about how U of M President James J. Duderstadt decried the college athletic programs:
"...big-time college football and basketball programs have been transformed into commercial entertainment businesses with only marginal relevance to the educational (and, I might add, tax-exempt) mission of the university."And here is Sol Gittleman, Provost of Tufts University:
"Does anyone actually believe that a freshman varsity basketball player at Duke, Stanford, or Georgetown can handle a normal first-year curriculum at these rigorously academic institutions? Division I-A college athletics has nothing to do with education. The billions of dollars of NCAA contracts with the media have nothing to do with education. The sneaker contracts and deals with basketball and football coaches in Division I-A programs have nothing to do with education."Over the past few years as I've developed my opinions on the the philosophy of conflating semi-professional sports and higher learning, I convinced myself that supporting the Glee Club was helping to promote the core mission of the University: an excellent well-rounded education including the arts. While this is mostly true, I now realize that even the Glee Club is an unfortunate player in supporting and promoting the non-educational arm of the University of Michigan that is the athletics program.
At nearly every concert the Glee Club ends its program with the college fight songs Varsity and The Victors. Fall concerts are always performed on the day of a home football game to lure more alumni into the audience. And straw that broke this camel's back, at the Glee Club reunion concert this year, ex-head football coach Lloyd Carr is the guest speaker.So, sorry guys. I'm through supporting an institution that on the one hand claims academic excellence, yet on the other runs a decidedly non-academic semi-professional sports program exploiting young athletes, most of whom would have no hope of attending the university based solely on their academic abilities. The average SAT score for Michigan students is 1271. The average for a player on the Michigan football team? 834. These "students" wouldn't even be eligible for admission to Eastern New Mexico University. I cannot abide a double standard, but even less so one of this magnitude.
The system is broken, and unfortunately it's deeply entrenched. Yes there are a lot of alumni and supporters in general who focus on athletics as their tie to the University. But I'm not one of them. And to me, we could well do without these "fans". They only serve to push the university further off its path, supporters only for reasons that are best irrelevant but in reality are detrimental to the core reason this institution exists in the first place.
I'm pragmatic. I realize that it's unlikely things will change significantly. U of M is unlikely to drop football altogether like Boston University did. Personally I'd like to see them follow the Division III model. No scholarships, no recruiting, and no double-standard. Students who want to play in addition to their studies are welcome to do so. Another model that could work is to spin off the sports teams into their own franchise. the University licenses the use of the name and logo and performs some basic oversight, but otherwise is an independent business with it's own P&L sheet.
In any case, I do know that I can no longer support the status quo. And if you are a Michigan donor, I encourage you to join me in eliminating financial support to the university. It is a great institution that has unfortunately lost its way. I wish to see it focus uncompromisingly on higher education and academic excellence once again.
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Dave,
Sorry you've come to the conclusion that holding back money from the Glee Club somehow penalizes the football program! When really it just stops the 2010 version of David Cortright from being able to participate in life-changing experiences like you did.
There is more than one dimension to this issue; it's just a shame that you would punish the Glee Club and miss out on the opportunity to catch up with your friends from Glee Club who are looking forward to seeing you.
Mike, I'm not doing this to punish the Glee Club. I love the Club. I'm doing it because I no longer believe in the vision of the University of Michigan. And to support the Club means supporting the University. I'd rather spend my charitable giving on an organization I wholeheartedly support.
Hey Dave,
Really, Glee Club = Football exploitation - quite a stretch don't you think? I have to admit the speaker choice for the upcoming reunion was a little strange, but is it really worth turning your back on the organization that made such a huge impact on all our lives? And by withholding funding from the Glee Club aren't you ensuring a more powerful influence of football at the University, thereby amplifying your pet peeve?
Also, why not boycott the Glee Club directly, if "non-academics" is the issue? No need to use football as an excuse. How much academic value is a "drinking group with a singing problem" that was founded to raise money to build the student Union?
And then to the broader question, should we really limit the university community to people who did well on their SAT's? What about other areas of intelligence - i.e. Gardner's Bodily-Kinesthetic and (gasp) Musical - shouldn't people who excel in these areas also be allowed to hone their talents at the university? They add positive benefits to society once they become professionals, so why not?
Anyway, sorry for a tinge of snark, you know I love you Dave. But I have to agree with Mike on this one and I'm genuinely sad that we won't be seeing you April, although it's not too late to change your mind! I hope you do - I'll save a seat at my table for you...
cheers,
Pat
PS hi to Lisa, and I'll be in your neighborhood in August, so perhaps I'll stop by - if you let me :)
PPS what does Howie say on this?
Sure Pat, come on by. I've got no problems with you and your misguided opinions. :-P
But seriously, there's a big difference between an extra-curricular activity like the Glee Club or intramural sports that compliment a well-rounded education, and semi-professional sports which in effect ARE the curriculum for these athletes.
It's not like I'm severing all ties to Glee Club here. I still love the organization, and I'll go to concerts when I can. But I just can financially support U or M anymore. I posted this so if anyone from U of M came across this, they would understand my viewpoint (and that of a small, but hopefully growing group of alumni) and it might factor into their decision-making process in the future.
Dave,
It appears that you have lost your way. Educating people is what an institution does and compromising the SAT scores for athletes is basically leveling the playing field in a racially and socially bias testing arena. I guarantee you couldn't graduate their code of ethical standards being in a sport or under priviledged enviroment. They are football smart and street smart by earning their way out of the ghettos by playing sports. Now you want to undermine their acheivement to become something better because of a Glee Club guest speaker. You have completely lost your mind. Selfish to say the least. Lloyd Carr has always been a leader in community service and helping kids become educated. He has never fielded a player that was academically behind on their NCAA mandated scores. Lloyd Carr has given Uof M 30 years of his life to improve everything about Ann Arbor. So he is a wonderful person to have as a guest speaker for anything including the Glee Club. Ok... Back to the educational aspect at any higher learning educational enviroment... There has been study after study showing why some of these student athletes never get the proper education and its not because they are underacheivers its because the educational system has failed them time after time. Affluent schools have the highest scores, best teachers, and up to date books. Less affluent schools are still teaching out of 1985 edition books with teachers that cannot get employment elsewhere. Since you are so worried about student double standards then I suggest to you to take your financial support and donate it to a school in East Saint Louis, MO or Detroit Michigan in efforts to improve the system of learning where it matters. Then you can say whatever you want about double standards when the playing field is level from PreK - HighSchool. Until then blaming the football team and calling it dangerous is simply pathetic and irreponsible. Its an avenue for kids with no options in life because of a poor educational system to become something in life. Unless of course you want that same kid robbing your house, stealing your car, or assaulting you because no one gave him/her a chance in life. No matter how you look at it... you are wrong to blame football or the U of M for creating a path for student athletes to acheive more in life through education and football. Shame on you for wanting to abolish that journey for so many young people.