National Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA News Archive - 2000
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Opinions
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Michael Muska, director of athletics
Oberlin College
Chronicle of Higher Education
"There are moments in our lives when we make decisions about what our next important steps will be. For those of us who are gay, a major event on this timetable is when we come out, when we let the world know who we really are. For many students, that now happens during the high-school years.
"While the vote at the NCAA Convention (to add sexual orientation to the Association's nondiscrimination clause) did not directly relate to high schools, it sent people at all levels of education the message that we must create safe spaces for students who are confronting their own sexuality.
"For students who wrestle with the issue in college, the NCAA vote should make it clear to coaches, athletics directors and administrators that we do want to stand behind our gay athletes and that we oppose discrimination of any form. The question is: How long will it take colleges and universities to comply?"
Managing athletics staff
Bob Bunnell, director of athletics
Franklin & Marshall College
Athletics Administration
"While Division III programs tend to be broader in number of teams and deeper in numbers of student-athletes than Division I programs, there is a tendency to keep the administration of those programs at a minimal number. With many coaches taking on dual tasks as administrators in some form or fashion, the line often becomes blurred between administrators, coaches and staff....
"Division III structures tend to be less-compartmentalized, while the AD in some cases -- such as my own -- is directly supervising and evaluating the work of more than 20 individuals. I find that rather than spending a good deal of 'quality time' with a handful of staff, I spend many little segments of 'catch-up time' with a lot of people. Instead of deeply reviewing, and possibly impacting, the performance of a reasonable number of staff, I am left to sometimes do surface reviews and appraisals of work that I don't always see. With 20 employees to direct, mentor and evaluate, I probably could spend all my time just working with and developing those people."
Precollege expenses
Shane Battier, student-athlete
Duke University
Philadelphia Daily News
Discussing NCAA legislation regarding impermissible educational expenses:
"The rules are so rigid. We need rules, but there should be some leeway. Anything to further education, as long as it's a third party who is sincerely worried about the individual's academic standing, should be allowed. There shouldn't be anything wrong with that. It's common sense, but there seems to be less common sense now than ever before."
Exempted contests
Jim Boeheim, men's basketball coach
Syracuse University
The Associated Press
Discussing a proposal to eliminate certified events in men's basketball:
"Those tournaments help your strength of schedule and don't cost anybody anything. The whole thing makes absolutely no sense. I can't figure out what the thinking is behind it. We go to the exempt games all the time because it gives our teams a chance at great competition and travel to great places. Where this legislation, or the rationale behind it, comes from completely escapes me."