Newspapers / North Carolina School of … / Jan. 1, 2016, edition 1 / Page 7
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the stentorian I ncssm op-ed January 2016 7 Debate over paying college athletes continues across campuses By Jordan Greenert Sports Editor The University of Southern Mississippi head football coach, Todd Monken, has been giving each of his senior players a brand-new suit for job interviews after graduation because some players may not be able to afford a nice suit after graduating. College athletes on full scholarships essentially leave college having broken even: they are given free tuition, room and board in exchange for their work and dedication. Because of this, most student- athletes leave in the same financial state that they entered with, and for some graduates this state is one of low income. Buying each senior a new get-up isn’t too much out of coach Todd Monken’s pocket, which is filled with an annual salary of roughly $700,000 dollars. In larger programs, coaches’ salaries are ten fold; University of Alabama coach Nick Saban makes more than seven million dollars a year. Compare that to the salary of Mary Sue Coleman, the president of The University of Michigan, who makes only about one million a year, despite her school having another one of the top football programs in the nation. The pure profit revenue produced by schools’ popular athletic programs oftentimes goes straight into the pockets of coaches. This is an issue that has gained some spotlight in the past few years, especially regarding monetary compensation for players. Although players for larger sports at larger schools can have their tuition paid for, it does not always compensate in full for their hours on the field, as well as in the classroom. Proponents for the payment of college athletes have argued that since these athletes are 18 years of age, they are legal adults providing extreme amounts of time and effort. However, there are many factors that make the idea unrealistic, most notably the immense variety in popularity of different sports and sizes of schools, with each category of athlete doing the same amount of intense work. The issue of college athletes receiving payment has been debated for years. On top of attending classes in order to maintain scholarships, college athletes dedicate forty hours a week on average, a full-time work week, to their sport. Supporters argue that there should be some monetary compeiisation for this, and say that it could come from coach and administrative salaries, as NCAA coaches are the highest paid public employees on most state payrolls. They also state that those high salaries come out of the huge revenue of college athletics, which includes game tickets, marketing, and merchandise. They argue that the players', the driving force of that income, should be included in the division of revenue. On the other hand, opponents to the payment of. college athletes believe that the academic compensation is enough, and that typical students will not only also have expenses of materials for job applications, but debt from their tuition, room and board that college athletes do not have. Another popular argument is that certain athletes may be paid less for the same amount of work due to playing a less popular sport, or playing for a smaller, lesser-known school. They also point out that many of the big name players who draw in the crowds will end up being drafted to play their sport professionally, and receive enough income from their athletic careers to make up for the revenue that the NCAA made from their success. The debate will fikely continue, and in the future there is definite potential for players to organize themselves and request their rights. Mary Sue Coleman, President of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor This year, there have already been two major acts of college teams organizing themselves for change in the cases of the University of Missouri and Northwestern University. Despite the complications, college athletes do have some leverage in the argument for payment, and could soon be getting back some of the profits they generate. Reflecting on the ups and downs of the college application process By Joe Wiswell News Editor It’s that time of the year again, the days are dark, the good-will and cheer of the holidays is a fading memory, and school is back in session. This time of the year typically has a very important - and hopeful - glimmer of light for seniors though. At long last, the dreaded college application is, for better or worse, a thing of the past. While seniors will no doubt continue working on applications for scholarships, travel for college visits, and complete financial aid forms, the worst of the storm is behind us. With better days ahead, many seniors are now beginning to dream of what they will do now that they are free of the burden of said college apps. Senior Matthew Pendleton is hopeful, saying he looks forward to “sleeping and playing soccer.” Senior Caleb Cox, who waited until the last minute to finish his apps, doesn’t see much difference between now and a few weeks ago, saying “besides a little less stress, nothing.” It’s probably fair to say that most seniors are at least a little relieved to have their applications out of the way. “I’m so freaking excited to be done,” said senior Stephanie Menten, even if it doesn’t greatly reduce their workload. Students now might be feeling a much-needed sense of relief, but how might we reflect on the college application process a few years down the road? “Everyone here is so intense,” said Mary Lassiter, Third Beall SLI. When interviewing her and Taylor Parsons (First Hill SLI) they told me that they were surprised by how much time many NCSSMers devoted to their applications. Taylor said it had clearly been a “long and strenuous process,” for the seniors. It seems that even the adults on campus could sense the tension and pressure that the senior class fought through to secure their places at universities across the country. For them however, this tension is cyclical, repeating itself every year as the new senior class dives in headfirst into the murky waters of higher education. The emphasis placed on college apps seems to be straining some of the seniors, not because they can’t finish their applications, but because now they have to wait for several long, arduous months to hear back from their dream schools. When questioned, Tyler Minor ‘16 had some choices words about college which are better otf unpublished in a school newspaper. Senior Robert Fisher added, “I’m scared, but I’m numb,” echoing lots of tired seniors, who can’t quite find the will to care that much about college anymore. At times, college admissions can feel like a game of Russian Roulette, but we will make it through, and we’ll get into college. We had better get into college. We’ve sutTered too long and too much to not go to a good college. So help me God. Oeedine 01/01/2016 01/01/2016 01/03/2016 01/01/2016 10/15/2016 10/15/2015 11/01/2015 Appltcatton ✓ V ✓ ✓ Writing Supplement photo courtesy of Comtnonapp.org
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Student Newspaper
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Jan. 1, 2016, edition 1
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