Priority registering helps athletes get core classes, U-M Academic Success Program director reports
A change in how University of Michigan athletes register has helped ensure they're getting classes in their major and aren't just filling their schedules with electives, the director of the university’s Academic Success Program said Monday.
Phil Hughes said the change to give athletes priority in registering for classes makes it easier for the program’s academic counselors to schedule an athlete’s classes around his or her athletic schedule, which can often include travel.
The change was effective for the winter 2009 term.
Hughes didn't answer a question from a faculty member on how many independent study classes athletes take and whether that number is up or down from previous years.
Hughes made his comments in front of the faculty Senate Monday afternoon, appearing before the body to give an update on the academics of athletes.
It’s a topic the Senate has considered several times in recent years, spurred in part by a series of articles in the now-defunct Ann Arbor News that raised questions about the number of athletes being steered toward certain majors and a high number of independent study classes.
Following the News series, the faculty Senate set up a committee — led by Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs chairman Ed Rothman — to look at how the university handled academics among athletes. That committee made several recommendations.
On Monday, Rothman said those changes have largely been implemented. He said the report called for the head of the Academic Success Program to report to the Dean of the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. Instead, that position now reports to the provost.
Hughes fills that role, coming to the university in 2009.
He spent his time in front of the Senate on Monday talking about the pressures athletes face on their time and energy.
“We tell students in the recruiting process that it is like two full-time jobs,” he said.
The center offers a number of tutors for athletes and works with them to track their academic work and schedule their classes.
Hughes said the latest graduation report from the federal data shows 80 percent of athletes graduate in six years, compared to a 90 percent rate for the university a whole. The report looks at all students entering from the high school class of 2003 and compares them to the number who have graduated within six years.
In response to a faculty question, Hughes said he didn’t know what the rate was specifically for the basketball and football teams.
David Jesse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidjesse@annarbor.com or at 734-623-2534.
Comments
Andrew MacKie-Mason
Sat, Nov 20, 2010 : 4:51 p.m.
Stories like this cause me to question how the University has managed to maintain a reputation as a top-tier academic institution. Yes, sports generally bring in money to the University. But the prevalence of football at the University of Michigan devalues students who actually want to be students. I'm sure that there are plenty of athletes who want to also get a good education, but that's no reason to give them priority over other students who want the same thing. Honestly, the country would be better off if University's athletic programs were completely separate from the academic parts. College sports should be a job, and if you want to go to school at the same thing, you should be just like any other student who works their way through school. @Marshall: "There's a reason student athletes end up earning more on average than their non-athlete counterparts." Yep. Because our society is incredibly over obsessed with athletics. One of the failings of capitalism.
loves_fall
Tue, Nov 16, 2010 : 10:22 p.m.
@ViSHa, yes, they get their own dining room, at least the football kids. And you better believe what they get fed is why room and board is so high for everyone else!
loves_fall
Tue, Nov 16, 2010 : 10:20 p.m.
I just think that many students, who DON'T have full athletic scholarships, suffer from this because they have to work too and many are competing for the same time slots. Let's not even mention those who don't have the opportunity to attend UM at all because the classes they could make with their work schedules are so few and far between. Athletes get the best of everything, and in my opinion, undeservingly. Maybe we should just hire them as employees since we seem to want to make them work full time for us. Other UM employees aren't granted anywhere near the same perks.
treetowncartel
Tue, Nov 16, 2010 : 1:05 p.m.
Yes, I remember "Rocks for Jocks". I filled a few hours here and there with those 1 hour lectrues. Nothing like seeing the lecture hall completely with about 20-30 extra people on it for the day of the final.I wish I could have attended the study table the night before where the notes for the semester and the accompanying outline were handed out.
Marshall Applewhite
Tue, Nov 16, 2010 : 10:21 a.m.
A few friends of mine were athletes at UofM, and I really didn't envy the extreme amount of work they were required to put in. There's a reason student athletes end up earning more on average than their non-athlete counterparts.
stunhsif
Tue, Nov 16, 2010 : 8:46 a.m.
I wonder if they still offer the same Geology class that non athlete students used to call "rocks for jocks"? Athlete's should have to have the same GPA's as anyone else entering the school. Some schools like Notre Dame,Northwestern and BYU do have higher standards for student athletes. At Michigan they should be called "athlete students", with the emphasis on athlete.
Renee
Tue, Nov 16, 2010 : 8:24 a.m.
Back when I was a GSI, the athletes in my class were some of the hardest-working students I had. They knew that they would be missing some classes due to away games, and they made sure to have the assignments turned in before they were due in those cases. I don't think it's fair to judge all athletes based on a few cases of laziness or feelings of entitlement, and it's also not correct to say that they are all hard-working academically--just like the rest of the student body at UM, there are those who work hard, and those who don't.
Somewhat Concerned
Tue, Nov 16, 2010 : 7:42 a.m.
You have to feel sorry for the unfortunate UM students who pay full tuition, wait until all the people with special treatment get to register for the courses they want, watch all the people with special treatment get free tutoring and remedial help that non-privileged students can't get, and, on top of that, hear about all the scholarship and grant money the privileged people get while many of the non-privileged people wait on tables and deliver pizzas until 3:00 am to make ends meet. Incidentally, it is not just athletes who are privileged at UM. If there are jokes, resentment and backlash against the privileged classes at UM, the privileged should at least be happy there has been no local storming of the Bastille.
Mallory
Tue, Nov 16, 2010 : 6:53 a.m.
When I was a GSI a couple years ago, the athletes were some of my worst students. I don't mean that they had the lowest grades; often they seemed to fall in the middle of the pack in that regard. It was more of their attitude of entitlement that made them lousy students. An example, from a senior athlete: Me: "You've been late to class every day all semester so far. You realize this is negatively affecting your participation points?" her: "Well what time does class start?" me: "It starts at 8, so with Michigan time that means 8:10." her: "so when do I have to be here so that I'm not counted late?" me: "by 8:10!" She continued to be late nearly every time for the rest of the semester, and ended up with the lowest participation score in the entire class since it was very clear in my class rules that tardiness counted against participation.
ViSHa
Tue, Nov 16, 2010 : 6:36 a.m.
they really get their own dining room?
ChrisW
Tue, Nov 16, 2010 : 12:42 a.m.
Their own dining room. Their own scheduling. Their own so-called academic department. And still they give up 32 points a game.
Mexicangunshow
Mon, Nov 15, 2010 : 11:55 p.m.
How is this newsworthy? State and other schools have been doing it for years. Is there going to be an announcement about how Seniors get priority over Freshmen in scheduling as well? Stop the presses!
enigmaingr
Mon, Nov 15, 2010 : 11:34 p.m.
This is a non-story. It's no secret that athletes, especially those in the revenue sports, get all sorts of privileges and accommodations at major universities. These benefits will continue because, frankly, the University benefits far more than the individual athletes involved.
lynel
Mon, Nov 15, 2010 : 9:11 p.m.
loves_fall, I see where your frustration is coming from, but I doubt that many of these jocks are trying to register for the same classes as most students who are at the U for an education.
loves_fall
Mon, Nov 15, 2010 : 8:49 p.m.
This is kinda bogus. No offense to the jocks, but they aren't the ones who worked their tails off academically in high school to end up at UM. Why should they get first dibs on classes that other students need?
Macabre Sunset
Mon, Nov 15, 2010 : 8:46 p.m.
Hmmm. Pretty much addresses exactly what Jim Harbaugh made so much news complaining about a couple of years ago. I wondered why people were so upset about what he said. He was absolutely right.