terrapinsanity.com

This morning’s Post has a column by Charles Lane, Maryland’s plan to cut 8 varsity teams shows its true colors. This calls it like it is – President Loh “doubling down” on big-time athletics and the cash, at expense of scholarship – and notes in particular that the sports recently cut here for budget reasons were the ones most populated with students who graduate. (College Park can’t get even 3 out of 5 football players to graduate? Seriously?) We all know what will happen to our outcomes statistics when the programs populated by students with good outcomes go away. Of course, the figure most sought by leadership is one that has a dollar sign next to it. Loh is out of his depth.

Lane does well until his conclusion, at which point he advocates:

[D]onating to these beleaguered student-athletes would do more than support a good cause — it would also register a protest against the warped priorities that prevail at too many institutions of higher education.

Noooooo! Donating to these programs means Loh’s extortion has worked! Loh is holding the successful programs hostage and betting soft-hearted alumni will tithe to fill in the gap.

The best message all alum could send is a statement “We’re withholding donations to any program on campus until you turn your focus back to excellence in education. Get your priorities right!”