[CTcard]

Stymie, I for one share your general concerns about misplaced priorities.  That is why I find myself able to feel pretty good about supporting Stanford athletics even though I would be unable to do so at nearly any other institution of higher education--including the one I work at today.

This is a well thought out and reasoned post. I even think I agree with it.

However, there are a few niggling worries kicking around in my head.

But at least at Stanford--even if one were to concede that athletics is nothing more than a frill--we have the knowledge that it does not detract from the core mission or anything else that the University does.

At Stanford the emphasis on sports does have an impact on many things the university does. For example, Stanford claims it gives 300 athletic scholarships (I didn't count) and has about 900 students on their intercollegiate athletic teams. That's around 4.5% and 13% of the undergraduate population - a significant amount and it has an impact on the nature of the place. Now, I think that is all for the good as those who are both good athletes and good students are likely good citizens of the university, but it certainly is a bigger impact on the university and far larger numbers than are seen of these legendary world-class oboists.

Stymie, I for one share your general concerns about misplaced priorities.  That is why I find myself able to feel pretty good about supporting Stanford athletics even though I would be unable to do so at nearly any other institution of higher education--including the one I work at today.

(And mine by the way.)

This is the real crux of the issue. Like everyone here, I have been convinced that for the most part Stanford itself walks the line in an acceptable even positive manner. However, it does not seem that Stanford's success is spurring others to improve - it's mostly ignored, possibly on the margins spurring others to be annoyed by Stanford and diving further into the cesspool to beat us. So, is it possible that by merely taking part Stanford is contributing to the continuation of the mess?


In the end I do NOT come down that way - I guess as is obvious by my presence on Stanford sports message boards. But I do worry about what sports have done to universities in this country generally, about the possibility of trouble at my alma mater, and I am sensitive to the possibility of my own hypocrisy.

[CTcard]

Stymie, I for one share your general concerns about misplaced priorities.  That is why I find myself able to feel pretty good about supporting Stanford athletics even though I would be unable to do so at nearly any other institution of higher education--including the one I work at today.

This is a well thought out and reasoned post. I even think I agree with it.

However, there are a few niggling worries kicking around in my head.

But at least at Stanford--even if one were to concede that athletics is nothing more than a frill--we have the knowledge that it does not detract from the core mission or anything else that the University does.

At Stanford the emphasis on sports does have an impact on many things the university does. For example, Stanford claims it gives 300 athletic scholarships (I didn't count) and has about 900 students on their intercollegiate athletic teams. That's around 4.5% and 13% of the undergraduate population - a significant amount and it has an impact on the nature of the place. Now, I think that is all for the good as those who are both good athletes and good students are likely good citizens of the university, but it certainly is a bigger impact on the university and far larger numbers than are seen of these legendary world-class oboists.

Stymie, I for one share your general concerns about misplaced priorities.  That is why I find myself able to feel pretty good about supporting Stanford athletics even though I would be unable to do so at nearly any other institution of higher education--including the one I work at today.

(And mine by the way.)

This is the real crux of the issue. Like everyone here, I have been convinced that for the most part Stanford itself walks the line in an acceptable even positive manner. However, it does not seem that Stanford's success is spurring others to improve - it's mostly ignored, possibly on the margins spurring others to be annoyed by Stanford and diving further into the cesspool to beat us. So, is it possible that by merely taking part Stanford is contributing to the continuation of the mess?


In the end I do NOT come down that way - I guess as is obvious by my presence on Stanford sports message boards. But I do worry about what sports have done to universities in this country generally, about the possibility of trouble at my alma mater, and I am sensitive to the possibility of my own hypocrisy.