Putting the Student in Student Athlete

College athletics have always received sideways glances when it comes to the education of student athletes. From the SMU booster scandal to John Calipari and his numerous sanctions for compromising the integrity of the universities in order to obtain athletes. Most recently comes word of another academic scandal, this time at the University of North Carolina. 

A tutor for UNC student athletes has come forward with allegations that the athletes were being directed by coaches and other members of the athletic department to enroll in fake classes. They were signing up for classes that never actually existed and never met in order to obtain easy A's and maintain their eligibility. With this coming on the heels of Northwestern's push to have their student athletes recognized as a union it raises both questions and eyebrows to whether or not these truly are students first or just young men and women being exploited by a multi billion dollar corporation that sees them as simply a means to an end.

SMU was hit with numerous sanctions for their violations including what is eloquently referred to as "the death penalty" because they paid the student athletes as if they were professionals based on their athletic performance. John Calipari, now the head coach of the Kentucky men's basketball team, has had issues with NCAA guidelines for the last 25 years. In 1988 he took over a University of Massachusetts basketball team that was in a decade long decline and turned them into a powerhouse,  resulting in 9 trips to the NCAA tournament.  However, his best season at UMass, a final four appearance in 1996, was vacated following sanctions for players recieving improper gifts from agents. But these sanctions came down after he jumped to the NBA so he got off clean. 

He appeared in the news again in 2008 when it came out that he helped superstar recruit Derrick Rose cheat on his SAT in order to get him enrolled at the University of Memphis.  Again, the school had its final four appearance as well as its NCAA record 38 wins vacated, but Calipari had already jumped ship for Kentucky and again got off scot-free. He now heads a program famous for being a haven for 1 and done freshmen stars to stop and play for a few required months before jumping ship to the NBA.

And now comes these allegations from one of the most famed institutions in college athletics, North Carolina, that they were enrolling their student athletes in non existent classes and leading them towards easy majors which they have no career interest in, solely to enhance the performance of the sports teams. To make matters worse, officials from the University vehemently deny any of this happening, despite confessions of former athletes confirming the contrary. 

Personally I believe that when it comes to student athletes,  they are students first and education should be the top priority; as that is the purpose of college, to further one's education.  However,  with the common thread between these situations being that they were all very successful due to turning a blind eye on school; as long as cheating is helping them win, and more importantly helping them make money,  academics will always come second.