Schools Turn Blind Eye to Student Athletes to Keep Them Eligible

College athletes can make the Dean’s List without showing up to any classes. Rashad McCants reveals that when he attended the University of North Carolina in 2005, he skipped classes and had papers written for him. Advisors steered him towards “paper classes” where attendance wasn’t necessary and his grade depended on a single paper at the end of the quarter, written by the tutors provided by the basketball program. Although the university tells athletes that they’re there for an education, their treatment at some university reveals that their purpose is more to make revenue for the college and bring fans into seats.

To examine more unfair treatment of student athletes, one can look at national signing day ceremony for graduating high school athletes. Only recently have the largest conferences approved new rules to guarantee scholarships for four years must cover more than tuition, room, and board. While recruits and their families are excited for the ceremony, signing the letter would make their decision a binding agreement. Du’Vonta Lampkin was going to sign with Texas after he was reassured that the defensive line coach Chris Rumpf was not leaving for Florida, who was hired by Florida after signing day.