'Cheating will not be tolerated'Let's make no mistake: Today's violations in collegiate athletics are utterly indefensible. They overshadow all that is good in college sports. They cast doubt over the motivations of all involved and give credibility to the cynical view. Worse, they encourage others to cheat. That is why they cannot be tolerated. These concerns — among others — prompted me to gather a group of Division I college presidents this month to address these problems and resolve them quickly. The result was a strong consensus and a clearly stated agenda for action, an agenda the Division I Board of Directors and I will enact in the coming weeks and months. First, we agreed student-athletes must be just that, students who are athletes. Winning on the court or field is not enough. College athletes must also perform well in the classroom. The board took an important first step by creating serious academic standards that teams must meet to play in NCAA championships. Higher eligibility standards for college freshmen and junior college transfers are also coming shortly. Second, we all agreed that the NCAA's rules need to be simplified with clear emphasis on integrity — weed out unenforceable and irrelevant rules and focus on serious threats. Next, we are addressing the needs of student-athletes, looking to increase grants to cover the full cost of attendance and providing opportunities for multiyear scholarships and greater support for summer school. Finally, I am committed — with the full support of our presidents — to hold all those involved in college athletics responsible for following the rules. It is not too onerous a burden to expect participants in college sports to not cheat. For those who do, we must be clear about the consequences. We are changing our enforcement practices and our penalties to reflect these common-sense values. There must be shared responsibility — among presidents, athletes, administrators, coaches, conferences, agents and boosters alike — that cheating will not be tolerated and the cost of doing so outweighs any benefit. Words, of course, do not mean much; only action counts. We cannot legislate integrity. But we can and will define it, expect it and hold ourselves accountable. Read President Mark Emmert’s USA Today op-ed piece: “NCAA: ‘Cheating will not be tolerated’”.
|
Office of the PresidentPresidential Attendance Request AddressP.O. Box 6222 Photos & ResourcesRecent photos of President Emmert and downloadable links. 2012 NCAA Convention Opening Business Session video. 2012 NCAA Convention State of the Association transcript. HeadlinesRecent stories on NCAA.org 2/17/12 - NCAA sponsors IOC luncheon to celebrate women in sports 1/14/12 - DI Board reaffirms expense allowance, multi-year scholarships 1/13/12 - DI forum participants laud reforms, but some want slower pace 1/13/12 - NCAA President Mark Emmert’s contract extended 1/12/12 - Emmert cheers on the collegiate model
On the MarkQuotes from President Emmert on various NCAA topics. Where the money goes: “The money we generate buys services that support those students. If we can keep the athletic programs financially healthy, they can create more opportunities for students to participate in athletics.” Pay for Play: “As long as I'm president of the NCAA, we will not pay student-athletes to play sports. Compensation for students is just something I'm adamantly opposed to. We're providing athletes with world class educations and world class opportunities. If they are one of the few that are going to move on to become a pro athlete, there's no better place in the world to refine their skills as a student-athlete.” In the NewsA sampling of what other media around the country have written about President Emmert. USA Today: Despite criticism, NCAA takes firm stance on professionalism CBSSports.com: NCAA Says Sports Revenue Growth Won't Exceed 3% at Biggest Schools in U.S. |
