The RP’s Weekly Web Gems: The Politics of College

College football has an indisputable influence on citizens across America, both while in college and long after graduation. Recently, many questions have been raised about just how big these programs are becoming. In fact, collegiate presidents are beginning to speak out against the large emphasis that has been placed on football programs by university administrations. See here for an account on these issues from former San Diego State University President, Stephen Weber. [Washington Post]

It has become widely known that athletes are afforded opportunities to attend universities that otherwise would not be options for them. With regard to football, reports from the NCAA show that this trend spreads across all conferences in the country, giving football recruits up to ten times better chances of admittance than students in the general population. [ESPN]

In his controversial (and extensive) article, Taylor Branch discusses the case for pay-for-play college athletics, in which student athletes would be compensated for their time on the field. See here for the article as well as an interview with the author. [The Atlantic] [PBS]

The enormity of the college football sector has resulted in extremely high expenses and revenues across Division I schools. See here for information on how these figures have changed dramatically since the turn of the century. [Matlab Geeks]