Sheldon Steinbach, vice-president/general counsel
American Council on Education
Washington Post

Discussing proposed Division I academic enhancements that weight grade-point average more than test scores:

"Somehow, Billy Bob will always find his way to a 3.550. Obviously, the proposal has been put forward as a means of promoting greater fairness and give more significant weight to grades earned over a period of time . . . than a test score. But, without any scientific proof, there is a general feeling that high-school grades are greatly inflated and that in many instances athletes are significant beneficiaries of favorable grading."

Editorial
Wall Street Journal

"(The proposed academic enhancements), which have been widely lauded by university presidents, haven't received a warm welcome from many of the NCAA's top coaches. Some are crying 'racism,' claiming that if the proposals are passed in October -- as is likely -- they will disproportionately put black and Hispanic athletes at a disadvantage.

"In fact, some of the changes were designed to make more black and Hispanic athletes eligible to compete. The increased emphasis on GPAs over SAT scores, for instance, will benefit black and Hispanic high-schoolers who, on average, score well below whites on standardized tests. ...

"No one is talking about requiring jocks to make the dean's list. If anything, the new standards aren't tough enough. But they nevertheless go a long way toward enforcing the essential point that athletics prowess must not supplant academic achievement. The ultimate goal is to ensure that all NCAA athletes are held to an academic standard that will leave them well-educated upon graduation."

Coaching issues

Rick Barnes, head men's basketball coach
University of Texas at Austin
Sporting News

Discussing NCAA restrictions on basketball coaches during the summer:

"If you could let me change one rule, it would be that I could work with my players year-round. We spend the school year trying to build good habits and work ethic, and then comes three months when it stops."