The University Senate endorsed a resolution at its monthly meeting Wednesday from the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics that outlined proposals and guidelines aimed at aiding in the nationwide reform of collegiate athletics.
University English professor Jim Earl, co-founder of COIA, said the resolution took years to draft and has been approved by NCAA members. The goal of the resolution is to stimulate a national dialogue concerning the academic integrity behind intercollegiate athletics, not to minimize or cut athletics in any way, Earl said.
“This is by no means some crackpot faculty scheme,” Earl said.
University senators expressed concern that the senate was only able to vote on the resolution as a whole rather than examine and vote on its specific points, something Intercollegiate Athletics Committee chair Jim Isenberg said was the committee’s main worry when it examined the document at its March 2 meeting. Isenberg said committee members supported the resolution’s overall intention of improving the academic integrity of intercollegiate athletics but wanted more power over the specific points.
Isenberg said the resolution includes three specific NCAA requirements that include collecting data on the academic achievements of
student athletes, reducing athletic scholarships in the face of inadequate academic eligibility and banning competitions during non-traditional seasons.
Isenberg said the IAC discussed the issue of collecting data on student athletes based on their course selections, which would allow the University to see if any particular courses were serving as safe havens for student athletes swimming in mediocrity. The IAC needs more time to discuss the other issues, Isenberg said.
“We found we didn’t have time for the two, let alone the other 50,” Isenberg said. The IAC’s final vote on the resolution was four in favor and six opposed, Isenberg said.
Isenberg said the overall intent of the document was good but there is much concern surrounding what it would mean to approve the document. It is not clear whether the document mandates certain points that may need to be discussed further, Isenberg said.
The senate approved the resolution in a vocal vote.

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