On September 26, 2009, the Christian Science Monitor published an opinion by attorney Benjamin Rosenberg on the values of college sports in higher education. Rosenberg questions higher education’s commitment to academic and intellectual interests when it pays its football and basketball coaches more than any other university employee, including the school president:
“Why go to college? Is it for the sports? Or is it for the education? Though some young people might be tempted to choose extracurricular activities as a main draw, universities themselves should know better.
The purpose of a university education is to gain professional skills and to cultivate a love for learning – tools that will ultimately help carry us through life. In a world that has become increasingly dependent on technology, information, and clear communication, American universities cannot afford to falter on this.
And yet, schools are paying outrageous compensation to the coaches of their football and basketball teams, corrupting their mission.
At schools with big-time programs, the head coaches’ salaries far exceed the pay of any other university employee, even the school president.
A quick Internet search reveals that around 21 colleges pay their head football coach more than $2 million per year. One assistant football coach at the University of Tennessee makes more than $1 million per year. Coaches at many large public universities make more than the presidents of the universities, and many times the salary of any faculty members.
What does this say about the schools’ values”
For the full opinion, link here.