Universityworld A SPECTATOR BLOG FOR NATIONAL COLLEGE NEWS
Seattle U got some press the other day—as in a one-line mention in a feature about the University of Washington’s football team and fundraising.
The university will have to get a few more words than that about their athletics in order to go anywhere in Division I.
And even more importantly, the university will have to get a few more current students excited about the move. Here a “few more” represents a 99 percent increase.
As a resident assistant and a reporter, I have the great opportunity to speak with tons of students, faculty and staff. Within the past few weeks, I’ve noticed people are fed up with Division I athletics and tend to blame it for, well, everything.
Whether or not the move is responsible for growing enrollment, grad students evicted from the Murphy Apartments or class cuts in the College of Arts and Sciences, it’s still being perceived that way.
Division I athletics have become the scapegoat of this university community.
I think that’s just one of many obvious signs (attendance at games for another) that Seattle U students don’t care about the move. They don’t want it, and as The Spectator editorial board points out, they still don’t do anything about it. Sad, really.
Of the scores of people I’ve chatted about D-I with, I recall only two—who will remain unnamed for their protection—telling me they think it’s a good idea.
There are plenty of national naysayers as well.
Selena Roberts wrote about religious schools “losing their religion” playing D-I sports in Sports Illustrated:
“Is it a no-win situation to pursue No. 1? Financially, probably. The culture
of unsustainable expectations makes nearly every NCAA program a money pit.
Still, Christian schools believe. All it takes is one messiah coach. It’s a pursuit
about greed and pride, lust and envy, wrath and gluttony. A sinner’s jackpot.
Jesus wouldn’t play that game.”
William C. Dowling wrote of his experience as well. Interestingly enough, all these naysayers mention football. That may be because it’s the one athletic program that makes money—if you're one of the lucky few universities whose teams are HUGE in the public eye.
A student speaking with me the other day wondered how we’d fair being D-I without football.
Sorry, “fútbol” doesn’t count.