Academic reform

Gerald Gurney, associate athletics director for academic affairs
University of Oklahoma
USA Today

"Many student-athletes will choose the path of least resistance -- less competitive majors -- so they can maintain their eligibility. Does every school have them? No. Do many schools have them? Yes."

Bob Scalise, director of athletics
Harvard University
USA Today

Discussing the high number of football student-athletes with business-related majors:

"Athletes see this as a viable career -- one that values intellect, interpersonal skills, leadership and teamwork -- all of which are developed on teams."

Andy Geiger, director of athletics
Ohio State University
USA Today

"If you've got 40 athletes in the same (academic) program and not very many other people in that program, that ought to be investigated."

Linda Bensel-Meyers, professor
University of Denver
New York Times

"There is not a sports reform movement, but there are reform movements, mostly trying to work through the system in different ways. All of them come up against the endemic problem: The values of a commercialized and professionalized playing field, not the values of the university, have become dominant. They become our national values. Might makes right. Scapegoat women. Win at any cost."

Rob Benford, professor
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
New York Times

Discussing faculty groups that have begun to mobilize within the reform movement:

"I think we are seeing the early stages of a movement, what we call the 'micro mobilization context.' Right now it's loose, amorphous, federated, which is typical. It has to form a collective identity, which hasn't happened yet. In the history of the peace, civil rights, environmental and women's movements, there was a similar period of many different groups with different names and agendas starting out with a network of meetings and the sharing of interpretations of problematic situations. ...

"One measure of a movement's success is that your opponents recognize your existence. The second major measure is that you frame the debate and the definitions of the problem. If you decide it's about athletics scholarships, then you get everyone arguing about that. You're in control at least of the discussion. ...

"I haven't given up on the faculty, but that's not where the hearts and minds of people will be won. Fans are interested in athletes, not professors."