Long-time lurker here. I suspect that only fans who are Rutgers alumni might share my view on this, but I think one of us needs to say it.
Once I'd calmed down after the today's revelation in the public poopshow that the football program has become, I saw a bright spot. My first reaction had been that Flood's dopey attempt to keep Barnwell eligible was just another embarrassment. But my second (and third, and fourth) is that it at least demonstrates that Rutgers continues to have more academic integrity than many other schools that would have swept this under the rug.
I taught my own classes for five years as a graduate student at RU. Our program head insisted that we were not to talk to any coach or team representative that tried to contact us—just inform them about it. My discussions with the teachers and administrators in the program made clear to me that athletes did not get through the courses—required of all students—unless they legitimately did the work & met the standards required to pass. It sounded to me as if the academic principles of the football team, at least under Schiano, were compatible with this approach.
That it was one of the academic advisors for the team who reported Flood's bungling, and that the administration took seriously the implications it had for academic integrity, makes me proud. It means the football team is not bigger than the school. It contrasts starkly with the response of UNC-Chapel Hill administrators to reports about academic cheating. It means Rutgers is still trying to live up to the principles it espoused when I was there, and gives me a reason not to put all my RU gear into storage, which I did after Pernetti was fired.
Yeah, we're gonna continue to get pounded by the media every time they get the chance (although Sargeant seemed pretty fair on OTL tonight). And I would like to be proud of both my school and its football team. But if I can only have one, I'll choose the school every time.
Once I'd calmed down after the today's revelation in the public poopshow that the football program has become, I saw a bright spot. My first reaction had been that Flood's dopey attempt to keep Barnwell eligible was just another embarrassment. But my second (and third, and fourth) is that it at least demonstrates that Rutgers continues to have more academic integrity than many other schools that would have swept this under the rug.
I taught my own classes for five years as a graduate student at RU. Our program head insisted that we were not to talk to any coach or team representative that tried to contact us—just inform them about it. My discussions with the teachers and administrators in the program made clear to me that athletes did not get through the courses—required of all students—unless they legitimately did the work & met the standards required to pass. It sounded to me as if the academic principles of the football team, at least under Schiano, were compatible with this approach.
That it was one of the academic advisors for the team who reported Flood's bungling, and that the administration took seriously the implications it had for academic integrity, makes me proud. It means the football team is not bigger than the school. It contrasts starkly with the response of UNC-Chapel Hill administrators to reports about academic cheating. It means Rutgers is still trying to live up to the principles it espoused when I was there, and gives me a reason not to put all my RU gear into storage, which I did after Pernetti was fired.
Yeah, we're gonna continue to get pounded by the media every time they get the chance (although Sargeant seemed pretty fair on OTL tonight). And I would like to be proud of both my school and its football team. But if I can only have one, I'll choose the school every time.
