Editorial: On the rise

When the University released a mission statement entitled "Rebuilding Duke Football," composed by Director of Athletics Joe Alleva, it took the first step toward rebuilding a beleaguered program that has become the joke of Division I football.

The decision is a dilemma that this school has been faced with before and will continue to need to tackle in the future. The University must decide whether to follow the model of many of a Duke's peer institutions and only admit students regardless of athletic prowess, who can deservingly matriculate on academic merit, or rather admit students who may be academically below the norm, but that can contribute to the success of the University's sports teams and still graduate.

In the new plan, Duke chooses the later option, taking a cautiously small step toward more athletic victories. While the University should recognize that it will probably never have a national title contender in football, by following the guidelines in the new plan, Duke should be able to field a team that is not an embarassment. If the University takes just few more "fringe" athletes, as the plan suggests, it should have little statistical effect on the University's academic rankings and can only improve the ailing football team.

Aside from academics, the statement also wants to move toward improved facilities, and an increased commitment toward salaries and recruiting. Although the $22 million Yoh Football Center should adequately cover the facilities initiative, both salaries and recruiting need help. Although the statement is correct that only through the coaching staff building up close recruiting ties will Duke football recruiting ever improve, the University should not become committed tp a coach or reward coaches with higher salaries until they have proven that they can win.

Prior to the release of the statement, Duke had three options to deal with the football team. First the University could have cut football or considered a move to Division I-AA. Second, Duke could have let its team maintain the status quo, remaining content to stay a "basketball school." Finally, the University could have moved in the direction it chose, taking cautious but necessary steps to increase the program's resources and, hopefully, prestige.

This is not to say that the University's statement is perfect. Duke should be careful not to lower its admission standards too far in the name of sports. In order to achieve this, it would be wise for Duke to review the plan--including looking at team graduation rates, statistics that used to be the pride of the program, but have recently fallen off--in five years time, asses its pros and cons and adjust accordingly. However, in the end it is in the best interests of the University for it pursue a combination of academics and athletics because having both will only enrich campus life.