The Michigan Daily - Friday, August 1, 1986 - Page 15
Athletesface raised academic standards

(Continued from Page 1)
your school. It's as simple as that." According to a survey by the
Associate Athletic Director Don American College Testing Service,
Lund has also criticized the new rules one-third of all students who take the
because they subject star athletes to SAT achieve below the 700 minimum
additional media attention. This required by Proposition 48.
publicity, he believes, could damage Some officials fear that the
an athlete's ability to handle requirements, especially the
pressure. minimum SAT score, discriminate
Cliff Sjogren, the University's against minority students. At last
director of admissions, was another January's NCAA convention, at which,
NCAA representative who helped delegates discussed Proposition 48,
formulate Proposition 48. Despite the presidents from several primarily
cases of Mills and Joubert, however, black colleges condemned the
he doubts the regulations will requirements. Joseph Johnson,
significantly affect the University's president of Grambling State Univer-
athletic programs. sity, called schools in favor of the
BECAUSE THE quality of student requirements, "misguided and
athletes here is high compared to misdirected elitist institutions."
other universities, Sjogren said last STATISTICS back up such fears. An
spring, the rule will affect only a few NCAA study of male athletes shows
extreme cases. that nearly 80 percent of black
"Oh sure, these guidelines could athletes and 40 percent of white
result in a valedictorian from high athletes currently enrolled would be
school not being eligible," Sjogren ineligible under the new requiremen-
said. "It's an extreme case, but ts. Only 43 percent of black students
students with a 2.5 grade point score over 700 on the exam, compared
average but without good SAT scores to 87 percent of white students.
could be knocked out." Canham believes the requirements
Sjogren advocates an NCAA will keep a variety of students off the
provision which would allow grades playing field and out of schools. "I
higher than 2.0 to compensate for test think it discriminates against a lot of
scores under 700. Grades offer a the inner city kids, whether they are
fairer assessment of academic ability minorities or not, simply because they
than test scores, he said. spend more money on education in
"You should let grades offset lower suburban schools," he said.
test scores but not the other way "It hurts the very people you should
around," he said. be trying to help and be giving a
SJOGREN SAID the rule does not chance. I'm in favor of not letting
differ from current policies at the them compete, but you've got to let
University and other Big Ten schools. them in school," Canham said.
Although the University has no grade Sjogren agreed, adding that the test
or test score requirements for ad- requirement may reflect a social
missions, Sjogren insisted that ailment broader than racial
neither the admissions office nor the discrimination. "SATs reflect the
athletic department recruit students neglect that has been laid on
with credentials below the new NCAA predominantly black areas, but I
standards. think it's unfair to call them racially
Most University students easily biased. They meAsure skills needed to
surpass these standards. Eighty per- operate in a modern society," he said.
cent graduate in the top fifth of their "I've seen so many blacks with
high school class, while 90 percent superior test scores that it would be
score over 900 on the SAT. unfair to call them racially biased."
Yet Sjogren said the University BIASED OR NOT, most students
considers a variety of factors - think the requirements will have
ranging from grades and test scores positive academic effects on the
to character traits and special talents quality of athletes getting into
- before admitting a student. Studen- colleges. "I think it's definitely going
ts with low test scores or grades can to affect the number of athletes that
get into the competitive University if can get into the University and also
admissions officers feel they will im- raise the standard of excellence for
prove the "quality of life" on campus.
Minority status, unusual talent, or
overcoming extreme hardship are a
few-examples of traits that can com
;s-~t'-A~ando Toeaching ~
pensate for low grades and tes
scores, Sjogren said. Fall-Wint
ATHLETIC ABILITY is a valuable
contribution to campus life, he added.
"I've talked to people on all levels Graduate Students are neede
and I get the feeling all the way to teach Seminars as well as t
through that as long as we conduct the and to live-in as resident staff
program with integrity, as long as Graduate staff receive room
(athletes) are graduating, (successful week corriddr and dorm-wide
athletic teams) generally improve the Student Teaching Assistan
quality of campus life," Sjogren said.
"It's a lot more fun to walk back from
the stadium when you've won than Application Proce
when you've lost." Fill out (1) a Housing Staff app
Although Proposition 48 falls below Pilot-LS&A Application both
University norms, it significantly Director of the Pilot Program,
upgrades NCAA standards. Incoming 100 Observatory (764-7521).
freshman athletes last year, for
example, needed only to earn a "C" I ss
average in all core courses rather
than pass all of them, as the new rule.
mandates.

the student as a whole," said Amy on schools, but will rely on reports
Rembisz, a University senior who from those who witness individual
plays basketball. She explained that violations. Catching violations may be
the rules may cause some high school difficult at any university where
athletes to shift their priorities from student transcripts are considered
sports to academics. personal information and are thus
"In high school you spend time seen by only a few officials.
practicing with your team and think Additionally, high school officials
about earning an athletic scholarship. must become aware of the new rules
You don't put in as much time on for them to work. A 1984 study by
academics," she said. faculty members at Clemson Univer-
Any effects of Proposition 48 will sity indicates that officials have done
hinge on how individual schools en- little to prepare student-athletes to
force it. The NCAA will not run checks meet the new requirements.
-i
SafetyOffict* s w

(Continued from Page5)
University police force is not new to
the University administration, but so
far, little progress has been made
toward creating such a force.
Currently, legislation in the state
Senate Education Committee, would
allow the governing body of a univer-
sity or college to deputize an indepen-
dent group of public safey officers.
Most colleges with a police force get
their authority from the city, state, or
county government.
THE BILL has been in committee
since February, 1985, and unless it is
passed before December, it will die.
Earlier this year, at a public hearing,
state sheriffs opposed the bill. They
maintained that they can provide the
necessary assistance to colleges, ac-
cording to the bill's sponsor, Jerome
Hart (D-Saginaw).
But safety officials say police are
needed in a variety of daily situations
such as challenging a potentially
dangerous criminal.
While the Ann Arbor police respond
to such calls, officers assigned to the
University beat are in the same
situation as other city officers. They
have to prioritize calls, regardless of
how important public safety thinks
the incidents are.
Both city police and public safety
officers rate calls on a priority scale
of one - the most serious - to four.
"On a number of occasions, I've
asked the city to respond to a call that
I felt we needed assistance, and been
. told many times that there wasn't a
unit available," said Gary Hill, a
ellowships
er 1986-87
d by the PILOT PROGRAM
to sponsor programs
members.
and board for 20 hours/
duties and a .25 Graduate
A stipend.
!dures:
plication and (2) a
available from David Schoem,
Alice Lloyd Hall,
,ROGRAM

public safety investigator.
BUT ANN Arbor Police Patrol
Division Commander Walter Lun-
sford attributed this to differing cir-
cumstances that sometimes pull
police units away from their assigned
posts.
Depending on the location of
available cars and the importance of
the call, police may dispatch a
University-assigned unit to a city in-
cident. They may have to ask a city
car to assist on a strictly University
call, if public safety is unavailable.
Since public safety officers cannot
legally detain perpetrators, if they
catch them, they often risk being
assaulted.
For example, Heatley said, Juop-
peri was assaulted in the Arboretum
ealier this spring by a man who was
setting a fire to cook food. Juopperi
saw the man the next day on the
street but had no authority to arrest
him.
JUOPPERI would not comment on
the incident, but she said that
deputized public safety officers would
get better compliance from offenders.
"I think that if they knew we have
authority, that would tend to put a lid
on things easier," Juopperi said.
But even if the Board of Regents
are given power to authorize a police
force at the University, some Univer-


Twenty-five percent of the high
school principals questioned in the
survey knew nothing about
Proposition 48; 49 percent had infor-
med their college-bound students
about the rule; and only 11 percent
had responded with curriculum
changes.
Daily staff writer Dave Aretha
filed a report for this story.
Next week: Why Rule 48 will do
little to ensure an athlete gets a
college education.
'U' police
sity officials would oppose such a
move.
"SOME PEOPLE believe with sin-
cereity that police officers with guns
are not appropriate on campus," said
Director of Business Operations Jack
Weidenbach, whose office oversees
public safety.
Regent Deane Baker (R-Ann Ar-
bor), agreed, saying, "I don't think
the University should be in the
business of operating a police force."
He added that while the present
situation is "reasonably well .han-
dled," a "tragic" incident could force
re-examination of the current struc-
ture.
According to Weidenbach, the high
cost of liability insurance for police
officers is another major point of con-
cern.
"We're the only university without
a police department; that doesn't
mean we're wrong," Weidenbach
said. "The situation hasn't merited it
yet."
CONSIDERING AN ABORTION?
Complete Confidential Information
Pregnancy Counseling Center
529 N. Hewitt. Ypsilanti
Call: 434-3088 (any time)

SEASONAL
SALE
(313) 663-2202
205 N. Main, 48104
GREAT LAKES FUTON
Fieldsistly CONVLRTIBLL B I 1COUCH
ingenious s o s$209
devices!
rsoiibiqq
un ari student
il BEDROLLS
5E i SINGLE Y7
- SUPERSING
DOUBLE. ?
- "HANDMADE" x -~