Michigan State. Baylor. Penn State. Who’s next?
It seems as though everyone is just waiting for the next one to break, even starting to become dulled to the news of scandal. It’s a sad reality, and nothing can undo the mistakes made in the past.
But the NCAA can change the decisions of many for the future.
Right now, it refuses to get involved legally with sexual assault cases, especially after its fiasco in handling the fallout at Penn State a few years ago. After initially penalizing the Nittany Lions' football program with recruiting and postseason sanctions, the NCAA backtracked when the school filed a lawsuit.
At all three of these universities, though, investigative reports have shown an effort to cover up sexual violence allegations. As long the NCAA stays on the same path, it is probably safe to bet that all three schools will have gotten off basically scot-free from the NCAA.
Some—including a former chair of the NCAA Infractions Committee—argue that the NCAA is making the right decision by opting to stay out of these scandals. They believe that the NCAA is not, and should not, get involved in cases of sexual abuse.
These arguments have some merit. Yes, the current members of the NCAA Infractions Committee probably are not equipped to properly penalize schools for an issue that extends far greater than getting paid to play.
But it is time for a change.
In fact, you would have assumed it already happened if you just glanced at the NCAA’s stated “Core Values.” Among them are:
“The Association—through its member institutions, conferences and national office staff—shares a belief and commitment to:
- The highest levels of integrity and sportsmanship.
- The supporting role that intercollegiate athletics plays in the higher education mission and in enhancing the sense of community and strengthening the identity of member institutions.
- Respect for institutional autonomy and philosophical differences."
Does it not seem like the NCAA should take at least partial responsibility in handling sexual assault scandals? The actions by officials at Michigan State and Baylor have violated all three of those statements, and the NCAA's failure to monitor makes its role ever more confounding within the landscape of amateur athletics.
Most importantly, though, the NCAA’s inaction will keep sexual abuse scandals at major programs in the news for years to come. It won’t stop with inaction. In fact, I’d argue that given the organization’s past history in dealing with these situations, schools have an incentive to continue to cover up issues in high-profit sports such as football and basketball.
Think about it.
Picture yourself as the president at a school with an overachieving team—perhaps the team might be a few wins from a shot at a national championship. But then you catch wind that the star point guard or quarterback was booked at the police station for a sexual assault investigation.
What do you do?
On one hand, you can make the moral decision and suspend the player until more information is released. But you can also take the risk that more likely than not, the NCAA will never investigate your school, and that you can potentially bring in an enormous profit from having the team continue its march to a potential title.
On top of that, many of the higher-ups implicated in these scandals end up just fine. Former Baylor president Ken Starr was moved to be the chancellor at the University while also maintaining his position as a professor in the Law School, and former athletic director Ian McCaw now holds the same job at Liberty.
Given past events, the general consensus is that you’ll land on your feet if you do not report the case. That’s the sad reality of the collegiate governing body right now.
There are no penalties for systematically covering up sexual abuse. Although the most recent lawsuit against Baylor alleges that at least 31 football players were involved in at least 52 sexual assault cases, nothing has happened to the program. Michigan State basketball stars Keith Appling and Adreian Payne led their team to the Elite Eight despite allegedly raping a women within their first days on campus, according to ESPN’s Outside the Lines.
What’s different about the case in East Lansing is that there are reports that Emmert knew about the situation the whole time. If the reports are true, then Emmert should be required to step down. How could anyone respect a decision coming from an organization represented by someone just as corrupt?
The fallout from the subsequent investigation into the Spartans may change the entire structure and belief system of the NCAA. Certainly, if Emmert is involved, the NCAA will need wholesale changes to become a legitimate governing body.
Regardless of Emmert’s involvement, the NCAA needs to make a statement for universities handling sexual misconduct among athletes. It needs to crack down on the problem—which is clearly bigger than everyone thought after the Baylor scandal—and Michigan State needs to be the example.
Even though it has some of the most high-profile coaches in the two most popular sports—Tom Izzo for men's basketball and Mark Dantonio for football—this issue is beyond making a little more money. It’s about exploitation.
Give Michigan State athletics the death penalty.
Its players will be fine. Look no further than former Mississippi quarterback Shea Patterson, who recently transferred to Michigan due to a postseason ban. The talented and clean players should have little trouble transferring.
There’s no better time than the present to set the new standard.
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