[BostonCard]

I don't recall the last time I read anything about Stanford Athletics from the University President...

from the Stanford Magazine

In the first months of my presidency, the Israel-Hamas war and its ramifications on campus have occupied the largest share of my attention. Not far behind is intercollegiate athletics and the historic change that is occurring nationally.
...
Fortunately, I have been able to rely on the advice of Professor Condoleezza Rice, trustee emerita Mariann Byerwalter, ’82, and a new Athletic Affairs Committee to chart a course that navigates these dynamics and stays true to our values while minimizing the financial impact of the transfer to the ACC.

https://stanfordmag.org/contents/stanfor...-tradition

I hate to say it, particularly on a board devoted to Stanford Athletics, but it seems like his priorities are misplaced.  I can understand the Israel/Hamas war because it has had a very significant downstream impact on questions of campus discourse, free speech, student safety, etc.  You would expect it to occupy a lot of time *right now* with the knowledge that its saliency will pass (though the need to address issues uncovered by it will continue).

While I welcome some attention at the highest levels on collegiate athletics, I worry that in the large scheme of things, it is the tail that is wagging the dog. We should not strive to become a University the Football team can be proud of (to paraphrase Dr. George L. Cross).  It seems to me that issues like student experience (of which sports are one of many aspects), mental health, academic integrity, admissions (in light of the recent Supreme Court decision), broader changes in the place of elite academic institutions in society, not to mention ongoing issues around fundraising, budgetary allocations, etc. that a president always has to deal with, are more important questions for a College President than collegiate athletics and should probably be consuming a proportionate amount of time.

BC

[BostonCard]

I don't recall the last time I read anything about Stanford Athletics from the University President...

from the Stanford Magazine

In the first months of my presidency, the Israel-Hamas war and its ramifications on campus have occupied the largest share of my attention. Not far behind is intercollegiate athletics and the historic change that is occurring nationally.
...
Fortunately, I have been able to rely on the advice of Professor Condoleezza Rice, trustee emerita Mariann Byerwalter, ’82, and a new Athletic Affairs Committee to chart a course that navigates these dynamics and stays true to our values while minimizing the financial impact of the transfer to the ACC.

https://stanfordmag.org/contents/stanfor...-tradition

I hate to say it, particularly on a board devoted to Stanford Athletics, but it seems like his priorities are misplaced.  I can understand the Israel/Hamas war because it has had a very significant downstream impact on questions of campus discourse, free speech, student safety, etc.  You would expect it to occupy a lot of time *right now* with the knowledge that its saliency will pass (though the need to address issues uncovered by it will continue).

While I welcome some attention at the highest levels on collegiate athletics, I worry that in the large scheme of things, it is the tail that is wagging the dog. We should not strive to become a University the Football team can be proud of (to paraphrase Dr. George L. Cross).  It seems to me that issues like student experience (of which sports are one of many aspects), mental health, academic integrity, admissions (in light of the recent Supreme Court decision), broader changes in the place of elite academic institutions in society, not to mention ongoing issues around fundraising, budgetary allocations, etc. that a president always has to deal with, are more important questions for a College President than collegiate athletics and should probably be consuming a proportionate amount of time.

BC