Mr. Nathan presents several lessons we can learn from this experience. Here, after some quick background, are seven lessons from this struggle. For many years, college sports has been a quagmire. At one point, newspapers focused on a star college athlete who, when asked what he would do with a large professional contract, said he intended to hire someone to help him learn to read. Members of Congress warned university presidents that they needed to clean up their sports programs or Congress would intervene.
College sports is a huge business.
1 Neither universities nor the NCAA wanted Congress stepping in. So the NCAA adopted new regulations, requiring that prospective college athletes attain certain grade-point averages and scores on standardized tests. The organization decided that it would determine which high school courses met its new standards. 2 Superintendents and principals across the nation found that the ACT staff treated them with disdain and disrespect. The NCAA cost us money, frustrated deserving students, and confused the community.