Here's Duke's million-dollar question: Can a championship-caliber Division I athletics program and a top-flight academic institution coexist?
"I would reply that if it isn't easy to get the balance right, it's also not clear that the task is impossible," President Richard Brodhead said when he announced he would reinstate the men's lacrosse program June 5.
For years, Duke has been praised for striking the balance between baskets and books. When the lacrosse scandal hit, however, the athletic program's squeaky-clean image took a serious hit.
In response, at the same June 5 press conference, Brodhead announced a bold new plan that might very well change the face of Duke athletics in future years.
From now on, Brodhead will take direct responsibility for all "day-by-day oversight" of the athletics program-a task previously assigned to Executive Vice President Tallman Trask. In addition, Athletics Director Joe Alleva is currently preparing an overarching code of conduct for all student athletes. "I would rather work to put athletics goals in proper relation to our academic mission than to 'solve' the problem by throwing out half of the equation," Brodhead said.
Although perhaps little more than a PR move, the shift will put greater emphasis on the "student" part of "student-athlete" and could have a big impact on the University's ability to recruit and retain top athletes.
At the very least, the squeaky-clean image has been tarnished, and Alleva will be making a few more trips to the president's office next year.
The change is not entirely new to college athletics. In September 2003, Vanderbilt Chancellor Gordon Gee made a highly publicized announcement that he would place athletics under the Division of Student Life.
Vandy's plan has worked so far, but the question still remains: what's in store for Duke athletics?
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