Blog 9: Chapter 9: New Siwash in Red Ink

As American education began to sink, college presidents wanted to save their staff. As the quality of undergraduate education began to decline, tuition cost increased considerably. College presidents also wanted to save the intercollegiate sports. What was more important the “BIG-TIME” sports or improving their undergraduate program? In reality, the presidents of colleges/universities did not care about the students but they did care about the faculty and the athlete. Undergraduate students, (majority of the population) realize that this is the case but they don’t know what to do about it. So what do they do? They party hard, cheer for their school’s team and spend money on athletic events. Why do the do this? As undergrad students they know that they are being shafted by the university but they do nothing about it. “This school treats the average student (undergraduate) like shit” said a senior at Ohio State University. “And so we blow off classes and party on high Street. Go Bucks. I’ve had a great four years of partying and following the Bucks, but an awful four years of course work.” (Sperber 98). Did this make a difference to the administration? No, they had the students in the “palms of their hands,” drunk and spending money on the athletic games.