Albion's integrity questioned
Viewpoint...
By Ben Colmery

I call into question the integrity of Albion College. Along with that question, I would like to know the difference between athletic "gift money" and athletic "scholarships." It is my understanding that athletic scholarships are illegal in Division III, according to the NCAA.

My first year at Albion, '92-'93, I practiced with the baseball team, in hopes of playing one day. Along the way, I got to know many of the ballplayers. I met a fellow first-year student who was on the team, and we started talking. He told me that he had not heard of Albion until three days before the school year started. He did not decide to attend until the day before classes. He was not without incentive, of course.

He told me that he received approximately $15,000 of what Albion has told him was "baseball gift money." That struck me as rather odd at the time. But, it really didn't sink in until he told me that he had a 2.7 G.P.A. in high school, and scored somewhere in the upper teens on the ACT.

That didn't seem fair to me. Albion gives me, at best, about half that amount. What kills me is that this student failed out after one year, and I am still here. I see the money was well invested.

I am hearing some interesting stories about some of the athletes on this campus. One student told me that someone who happens to play on the football team recently asked her what a "verb" was. Another student told me that his roommate last year, who happens to run track at Albion, was barely capable of completing sentences. One of the requirements of graduation from Albion College is passing the writing competency exam. From his description of this particular student, it sounded as though it may take a miracle for him to pass this exam.

I do not mean to stereotype athletes, nor do I intend to imply that because someone is an athlete that person is not intelligent. What bothers me is that there are athletes here who are receiving money that they may not deserve.

Albion College has had a long tradition of being one of the top private schools in the Midwest. It enjoys a reputation for academic excellence. How can this reputation continue when this college awards money to students who, for all intents and purposes, can barely tie their academic shoes? What are people, like the one who doesn't even know what a verb is, doing here? I thought this school had standards. I thought it was a big deal to be accepted here.

Perhaps this is nothing more than a rumor. Perhaps I am loaded with nothing but false information. But something that happened a few years ago has to make one wonder who is telling the truth here.

On Sept. 23, 1994, The Pleiad reported on a study published in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, all tax-exempt organizations classified under 6501 (c)(3) of the IRS code must make Form 990 and its attachments available for public inspection. The law also stipulates the Form 990 be accessible for inspection during normal business hours and that an institution may not question the identity or purpose of anyone who requests such information. A penalty of $10 per day, up to $5,000, may be imposed if an institution fails to comply with this law.

But according to The Chronicle, "Albion officials have failed to fully comply with this over the past two years."

Why did Albion College refuse? Certainly the college had nothing to lose by sending the requested information in. Not if they were playing by the rules. The integrity and credibility of this school must be questioned, if it is not willing to comply with federal law.

Albion College must receive huge amounts of alumni donations for the football team. One could only assume this after considering the number of alumni who have gone on to great success in the business world. At least a few of them must donate, especially since Albion won the national championship not even a year ago. I am curious where that money goes, precisely. And, it is interesting that Albion College is not so quick to report such details.

I do not, in any way, wish to take away from the great achievement of last year's football team. The coaching staff and the players did a brilliant job, and deserve any credit they receive. Congratulations.

However, this is an institution of learning. That was "proven" recently with the furor over the Diversity Award. Albion College is obviously committed to education by attempting to increase the minority population. With that commitment comes the responsibility to recruit students, not athletes. My friend from my first year was a great guy, but he had no business here. He wasn't very bright. And there are enough students like him at Albion College to question what is happening here.

I must make it clear that this is all (except for the reports of The Chronicle) just rumor. I cannot prove any of this. I challenge Albion College to prove all of these rumors wrong and to prove to its students that there is, in fact, a difference between athletic "gift money" and athletic "scholarships." I ask Albion College to demonstrate to its students that everything I have claimed is absolutely incorrect. Doesn't this college, which claims to be so committed to the education of its students, owe it to them?