Paper Recommends Practices for Aligning Academic Values, Athletics Programs
Intercollegiate
athletics programs should be part of an institutional culture of
integrity that stresses the primacy of the academic mission and ensures
that student-athletes are first and foremost students in programs of
higher education, says a paper released today by ACE.
The paper, The Student-Athlete, Academic Integrity and Intercollegiate Athletics,
stems from an April 22, 2016, ACE Roundtable attended by nearly three
dozen higher education leaders, including college and university
presidents and chancellors, athletic directors and coaches, conference
officials, student-athletes and faculty athletics representatives. It
was co-chaired by ACE President Molly Corbett Broad and Georgetown
University (DC) President John J. DeGioia, chair of the ACE Board of
Directors.
Roundtable participants agreed that:
- Intercollegiate athletics programs at all levels must respect
the primacy of the academic enterprise and remain firmly grounded in it.
- Intercollegiate athletics provides a significant educational opportunity when aligned with the mission of the institution.
Institutions
must enable their student-athletes to have access to the same range and
quality of academic pursuits as other students. - Academic integrity cannot be compromised by our colleges and universities, or by members of their campus communities.
The paper further frames these issues and recommends a number of best
practices that may help presidents better oversee intercollegiate
athletics and ensure that the athletic culture is in full alignment with
an institution’s primary mission and academic values, based on the
following themes:
- A culture of integrity—A healthy intercollegiate
athletics program requires that all members of the campus community
understand the importance of academic integrity and the primacy of the
academic experience for student-athletes.
- Integration—Intercollegiate athletics can provide
significant and memorable opportunities for shared experiences, not just
for the student-athletes, but for the entire institutional community.
- Management of risk—Campus leaders’ attentiveness to
athletics within an institution’s overall enterprise risk management
structure is prudent and sensible.
“Among the many issues facing American higher education today,
perhaps no other area has received more scrutiny in recent years than
intercollegiate athletics, and of particular concern to college and
university leaders have been situations involving student-athletes and
academic misconduct,” Broad said. “The work of our Roundtable focused on
the academic enterprise and the need for balance and clarity. The best
practices we identified can be employed by campus leaders as
constructive tools to help them engage on this critical issue of
ensuring a culture of academic integrity in athletics and providing our
student-athletes with every opportunity to be students first.”
The Roundtable was held at the request of the ACE Board of Directors,
which comprises a diverse group of college and university presidents
and chancellors from across the spectrum of American higher education
institutions. Their concern was sparked by much-publicized incidents of
student academic fraud involving intercollegiate athletics.
“When
our students engage in rigorous athletic competition and challenging
academic work, they are given an unparalleled opportunity to explore the
fundamental question of what constitutes an authentic life—a life of
meaning and purpose,” DeGioia said. “I am deeply grateful to all the
members of the Roundtable for their commitment to ensuring our
universities create a context of integrity where all of our students can
succeed. This report highlights critical issues and provides a valuable
framework for colleges and universities to consider as they work to
foster a culture of academic achievement and success for students
engaged in intercollegiate athletics."