At many universities around the country today, athlete privilege is a major problem. Non-athlete students aren’t given the same opportunities as student athletes are. As a matter of fact, athlete students are given some privileges that no one should be allowed to have, things that are morally unacceptable and/or even illegal.

   “College is a privilege. It is earned, not bestowed,” said Sports Illustrated Writer Paul Daugherty. This is especially true because of the fact that college is incredibly expensive. Students who aren’t star athletes have to work extremely hard in high school just so they can get accepted into a decent college, not to mention having to take out loans (which they’ll be paying back for years) to pay for the education they’re seeking for themselves. In contrast, student athletes don’t work nearly as hard at academics and are provided with many perks that guide them to success.

   There have been multiple reports in which it has shown that college athletes have been given certain rights that are unethical or even illegal. For example, the Star Tribune reported that at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the school inflated grades for thousands of athletes (StarTribune.com). The New York Times reported that at the University of Georgia, a football player who failed a sociology class was able to have his grade changed from an F to a C (NYTimes.com). At most universities, early registration times allow scholar-athletes to enroll in the most in-demand fluff courses. Privileges like these and many more currently exist in our college and universities, and unfortunately, there is no end in sight. 

   Student athletes may argue that they do deserve these privileges. From their point of view, they believe they must  work hard both in sports and school, and so they deserve everything they get, and they are correct, to an extent. However, these aren’t the students to point fingers at: it’s the athletes who slack off, don’t go to class, partake in illegal activities and still get these privileges that don’t deserve them.

   Senior Jackie Sanders said, “In some ways, it is fair that student athletes have privileges. I know that I get to register early, have free tutoring and get free physical therapy, because being an athlete is like having a full-time job. You practice 20 plus hours a week on top of all your schoolwork. It really is a big commitment.”

   Senior Grant Ruthenberg said, “I think certain privileges are okay, because this school has chosen this athlete to play for them and represent the school, so they’re pulling more weight. However, if they represent the school in a bad way by doing something illegal, and… [the school ignores it], that’s where the line needs to be drawn.”

   Athlete privilege in America is a controversial issue today, and it seems no one is doing anything about it. Schools aren’t changing their policies, and are still providing student athletes with special privileges, even when they don’t deserve them. It’s a big problem and needs to be fixed, because college is expensive, and those who are actually serious about getting an education should be the ones provided with assistance.