High School Takes Control

Suggs, Welch. "NCAA Cedes More Control to High Schools on Athlete's Eligibility Requirements." Chronicle of Higher Education 46.23 (2000): A48. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 10 Nov. 2010.

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Welch Suggs, author of “NCAA Cedes More Control to High Schools on Athlete’s Eligibility Requirements,” talks about the decision NCAA made by giving high schools the chance to decide which classes are good for course academic credits. A freshman coming into a Division I school is to maintain a minimum grade point average in thirteen core classes. The core classes include: four years of English, two years of math, two years of natural or physical science, and two years of social science. Welch discusses the problem with letting high schools to determine which classes are core eligible. Some schools may try to squiggle a star athlete into a college by letting him attend some noncore classes. Graham Spanier, president of Pennsylvania State University believes that the NCAA needs to work closer with high schools, but far enough to show respect to the school’s judgment. Welch also asked what Jill Kennedy, chairwoman of Utah State Board of Education, thought about the NCAA’s decision. Her response was that the state board of education should determine core courses.

An intelligent reader may see NCAA's decision of letting high schools determine core classes as an advatage to great high school athletes that want to play in college. He interviewed several including the president of Pennsylvania State University and the chairwoman of Utah State Board of Education that, in a way, agree with him. Welch suggests that some high schools may try to sneak some amazing players into college. If the NCAA had control, they could keep track of which classes the athletes are taking and if the class is a core class. Reading Suggs article makes you wonder just how prepared student athletes are going to be if the high school they attended allowed them to take a noncore class and call it a core class. If the athlete is not ready for college then they will just flunk out because of their grades. Welch includes Joseph Nathan, director of the Center of School Change at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, as one of few people who agree with letting high schools decide core classes. It takes a lot of pressure off of the NCAA Nathan suggests.