The following is part of a guest column written by UIS Chancellor Susan J. Koch. It was published in an November 11, 2012, edition of the State Journal-Register.
"Several years ago, Indiana University professor Murray Sperber published a fascinating book titled, 'Beer and Circus.' Considered the country’s leading authority on college sports, Sperber argued that big-time intercollegiate athletics has had a profound and tragic impact on higher education, depriving students of the education they deserved.
'Beer and Circus' has become a “must-read” for every college president and chancellor. As chancellor of one of the 300 NCAA Division II schools in the United States and Canada, however, I can tell you that the “beer and circus” scenario is a world away from what I see every day on the University of Illinois Springfield campus.
Division II Athletics is based on an institutional commitment to providing a balanced educational experience for student-athletes. According to the Division II philosophy, students who participate in athletics are students first, with the same opportunities and expectations for academic achievement as other students."
Read the full column online
