Is
'Wolverine
Watch'
The Michigan Daily -Wednesday, March 28, 1990 - Page 17
NBA STANDINGS
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needed?
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Pct. GB
Pro: It works for the 'Canes
by Eric Berkman
Daily Sports Writer
In 1988, the University of Miami implemented the "Hurricane Watch," a program
that utilizes students in its effort to monitor the progress of student/athletes who are
in academic danger.
The rationale for the program was that the athletic department and the office of
academic affairs knew when an athlete was attending study table or seeing his or her
tutor. However, they really had no way of knowing if he or she was attending class,
particularly large lectures. As a result, they decided to employ students to
anonymously monitor the attendance of certain athletes in their classes.
The "Hurricane Watch" has been quite successful in its two years-Miami
academic officials predict a 73 percent graduation rate for athletes this year. This is a
big improvement for an athletic program that has a history of being academically
suspect. And though the program may seem chillingly Orwellian in its content-
nobody really likes the idea of student spies-it may be worth a look. Particularly at
a large, athletically-oriented institution like the University of Michigan.
For one thing, if an athlete attends a university for several years without
attaining the necessary skills to thrive in a world outside of professional athletics,
then that athlete has been cheated and exploited. A program like the "Hurricane
Watch" ensures that the school helps the athletes hold up the "student" end of their
student/athlete bargain.
Besides, student/athletes are monitored by the athletic department anyway-this
program just serves as a safety net to catch those who still manage to elude the
system. In fact, at Miami, an average of only 20 athletes out of 300 are actually
being monitored by the "Hurricane Watch." Nonetheless, it has made a difference in
regard to graduation rates.
"Athletes are aware that the department is more concerned (with their academics),"
says coordinator Anna Price, "so they become more concerned." It's not the actual
tactics of the program that have made the difference, it's the heightened awareness the
program has created in the athletes.
Finally, each athlete given an athletic scholarship represents a huge investment on
the part of the university. When an athlete fails to receive an education in four years
at school, he or she is wasting valuable educational resources that could have been
better used for a more serious student.
A program like the "Hurricane Watch" has proven that it can help athletes make
better use of these resources for their own educational benefit. A school like
Michigan, whose athletes have their own academic troubles, might do well to keep
that in mind.
Con: They're watched enough
by Jared Entin
Daily Sports Writer
Do you go to all your classes? Of course not.
Do you expect that anyone else does? Of course not.
Thus, would you approve a program called "Wolverine Watch," entailing that
regular students secretly report to the administration whether or not an athlete went to
class on any given day? Although unpredictable, your answer should be "of course
not."
It's a good thing Michigan hasn't copied the actions of the University of Miami.
Miami does indeed have a program called the "Hurricane Watch." The watch is
supposed to keep track of student-athletes by making sure they go to class. How
intelligent. I know that whenever I skip a class, that the next test I take in the class,
wham-o! Although very few athletes are actually hounded like animals, any can
become a victim if their G.P.A. falls too low or if their coach asks for them to be
monitored.
Let's not forget the spies who survey the lives of these athletes. These supportive
students aren't always even in the class with the athlete, they just hang around
outside of the class waiting to see if the athlete doesn't come.
What happens if the athlete doesn't come? Well, the coach is informed, and he
carries out a form of punishment. I wonder if that means Steve Walsh ever had to get
Jimmy Johnson a dangerously piping hot cup of coffee.
However - returning to the basics - who cares if an athlete skips a class,
unless, of course, its an 8 o'clock communication discussion? Especially if the
student had a hard practice the night before but still had to stay up late to study for an
Organic Chemistry test?
But why stop at athletes who are in danger of getting a 'C' in a class, even
though it's the median grade?
Let's move on. First let's encompass all athletes, let's make sure that they never
slack off. But, hell, why stop at the athletes, let's move on to any student on a
scholarship or work/study students. Lord knows we can't have cafeteria employees
who are not performing up to snuff. Hey let's just monitor everybody. Sounds neat,
huh, kind of like high school.
Or, on a different tangent, why stop at the students' class lives? The university
should have students watch them twenty-four hours a day.
The bottom line is that the athletes are responsible for their actions and people
should not meddle into their affairs, people whose only concern is whether the team
wins or loses. It's bad enough athletes are hounded if their grades are too low, or if
their grades are too high. A student's academic conduct is his or her own business.
Just as people don't tell you how to study, athletes (who remember are students, tco)
shouldn't be told whether or not to go to class.
tlantic Division
Philidelphia 44 26 .629 -
Boston 41 26 .612 1'/
New York 39 28 .582 31/
Washington 25 43 .386 18
Miami 16 54 .217 28
New Jersey 15 54 .217 281!2
entral Division
x-Detroit 51 18 .739 -
Chicago 45 23 .662 51/
Milwaukee 36 32 .529 14,/,
Indiana 34 34 .500 16'/
Atlanta 33 36 .478 33
Cleveland 32 36 .471 181/
Orlando 17 51 .250 33
W L Pct. GB
IMidwestern Division
x-Utah 51 19 .725 -
San Antonio 46 22 .676 31/2
Dallas 38 29 .567 11
Denver 36 33 .522 14
Houston 33 36 .478 17
Minnesota 18 51 .261 32
Charlotte 14 54 .206 351/2
Pacific Division
x-L.A. Lakers
x-Portland
Phoenix
Seattle
Golden State
L.A. Clippers
Sacramento
51
49
46
34
31
27
22
16
20
22
34
36
43
47
.761
.710
.676
.500
.463
.386
.319
3
51/2
171/2
20
251/2
30
x- have clinched playoff berth
Standings as of Tuesday night{
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