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Hard to argue with NDA's rationale. From the article:
"We're going to run the school to develop the talents of the children that go to the school and we're not going to give out scholarships to athletes for the sole purpose of winning championships," Wilson said.
"When students can become superb athletes, that's terrific. But purchased talent, you search around the countryside and find a kid who can play basketball and give him a scholarship to your high school. It shouldn't be done in high school. It's done in colleges; that's their decision. But when you do it in high school, that's absurd."
"We're going to run the school to develop the talents of the children that go to the school and we're not going to give out scholarships to athletes for the sole purpose of winning championships," Wilson said.
"When students can become superb athletes, that's terrific. But purchased talent, you search around the countryside and find a kid who can play basketball and give him a scholarship to your high school. It shouldn't be done in high school. It's done in colleges; that's their decision. But when you do it in high school, that's absurd."
I don't think it's absurd. Many private schools end up closing due to lack of students paying tuitions and lack of donor support. If a strong sports program keeps your school out there in the public eye, builds the school's reputation, attracts students and helps with fund raising, then I don't see any reason why a school shouldn't go this route if it wants to.
But if it doesn't want to, that's OK, too. Their school, their decision.
But if it doesn't want to, that's OK, too. Their school, their decision.
According to the article, athletic scholarships were a financial drain rather than a means of obtaining greater donations:
"The school got into a situation where the balance between financial aid and full-paying students became a little bit upside down," said Lee, who resigned in April 2007. "The school was giving out more financial aid than a school should give out."
Plus, a $2.4 million donation to the school was specifically not for athletics. The bottom line of a high school is that it should conduct itself like a school rather than the athletic department of a Div. I University. If it does a good job as a school parents will pay to send their children there to learn.
"The school got into a situation where the balance between financial aid and full-paying students became a little bit upside down," said Lee, who resigned in April 2007. "The school was giving out more financial aid than a school should give out."
Plus, a $2.4 million donation to the school was specifically not for athletics. The bottom line of a high school is that it should conduct itself like a school rather than the athletic department of a Div. I University. If it does a good job as a school parents will pay to send their children there to learn.
BU read the article again and note the ratios Mr. Lee refers to, "Most private schools typically try to have at least 75 percent of their enrollment paying full tuition; Notre Dame's figure regularly was between 68 to 70 percent, Lee said". Although off from what is considered “typical” it was not severe. Additionally not all students at NDA on financial aid are athletes. Mr. Wilson would like you to believe the school is upside down due to the coaches bringing in student athletes and this is reason why the school is “scaling back” on athletics but that is simply not the case. Before I go on take a look at what else Mr. Wilson said, "There are people who got caught up in this and got their noses out of joint because they couldn't continue the games they were playing. The so-called athletic promoters, with their jackets, going around with the teams. Who was getting the adulation? They were. Now, they have no more teams to play with. You know what I say? [Expletive] them. I don't give a [expletive] about their guys. They were doing it for their own egos as opposed to doing what was best for the school”. Any board member who drops the F bomb to describe parents, supporters and student athletes should not be taken seriously. What should come from his comments is his removal from the board. The fact is he is an out of touch jack *** with an agenda. The monies you mentioned that were donated (“not for athletics”) came from a single source. That source, another board member, has a “plan” for the school. This mis-guided plan does not include athletics plain and simple and her money won out (mind you the dc arch diocese offered to buy the school which would have instantly stabilized the school and lowered the tuition). Mr. Wilson for whatever reason (oh yea he is a jackass) has aligned himself with fellow NDA board/contributor member. What he and the source of funds fail to understand is NDA’s unique situation. The school is out in the middle of nowhere with little to no rooftops to support the school locally. Without high quality sport programs the school’s enrollment is going to fall drastically. The school has to consider itself like a free standing (building) business, a point of destination. There has to be good reasons why parents will go out of their way to get their kid/s to NDA. The sport programs were that good reason.