Whither Harvard Athletics?

WE are all familiar with the Greco-Roman ideal--mens sana in corpore sano--of fitness in both mind and body. Harvard, as an institution of academic excellence, however, sometimes seems to place undue emphasis on the body part instead of the mind.

Athletes, without a doubt, are often given special privileges and considerations by almost all colleges that can afford it. They are feted, wined and dined by many colleges hoping for oustanding recruits to garner fame and glory, as well as heavy alumni contributions.

Harvard, that ol' bastion of intellectualism, says it does not engage in that sort of thing. Harvard does admit to giving preference in admissions to athletes--something people here never seem to question--not for the sake of big-time sports (or organized barbarism, as some would say), but for diversity and the Greco-Roman ideal.

But as the abuses at big football schools have shown, college athletics no longer expresses the search for the Greco-Roman model of the well-rounded student. Big athletics is big business, with TV contracts and hefty donations. Even at Harvard, most sports have reached the point where most students cannot participate in them. Most students at Harvard no longer seek the sound body in organized sports, but in the MAC. If varsity sports are not bringing a sound body to most undergraduates, why are they given so much importance?

HARVARD claims to seek diversity in its admissions, which is its reason for not admitting more bright Asian-Americans. Harvard, along with other universities, is now under investigation by the Department of Education for possible discrimination. Although Asian-Americans have higher GPAs, Harvard traditionally has said its admissions process is based upon other criteria for diversity, athletic ability being among them.

But why must athletics be an index for diversity? Do people with the ability to dribble or shoot a ball indicate a more diverse community? Diversity at Harvard should be measured the same way it is in society: by race and socioeconomic class. Athletic skill does not fall under those categories, and it's difficult to see how Harvard can pursue the goal of a diverse student body on the one hand, and give preference to athletes (and alumni children) on the other.

One may argue by saying that athletic skill is no different in the admission process from a special aptitude for writing or music. But Harvard is an academic institution, and people's skills ought to fit within that intellectual mission. If a student talented enough to come here happens to be an athlete also, fine. But athletes without scholarly abilities add nothing to Harvard's intellectual community and deny a coveted space in the student body to someone who could make better use of it.

LET'S start with recruitment. Coaches of teams that do perennially well invariably start off by inviting the prospective student-athlete to Harvard to stay for a day or two with a veteran member of the team. Even if no explicit instructions are given, the veteran knows that the high school junior or senior is supposed to be given the hard sell: Harvard is great, wonderful; the coach, etc., etc.

And it's no secret that athletes do have a measured advantage at the Admissions office. Such an advantage, it goes without saying, applies less to players for teams that are not as successful--or more importantly perhaps--do not pull in big contributions from wealthy alumni. Thus, one can be put in the position of a star women's volleyball player, or a player of any unpopular sport, who can't get the admissions office to give her special consideration. But the "prizes" don't often get away, if the coach has enough clout. The continued success of the ice hockey and soccer teams are not merely due to the amazingly coincidental joining of athletic talent to intellectual prowess.

This is not to say that all athletes at Harvard are not as bright as their peers, or that they don't deserve to be here. Of course, many of the athletes here are very bright and contribute to the intellectual atmosphere of this school. But athletes should not be given a special preference for admission, as they don't add any measure of diversity to what must remain an academic community.