Blog Archive

I have a soccer game so no posting until later tonight but I wanted to add a note about the Maurice Clarett story below.

It appears that OSU is taking the academic fraud issues seriously, and they are lauching a wide ranging investigation (I linked the the NYT link because the Columbus Dispatch requires a subscription). They should be taking this seriously because it is a dark mark on OSU. Ohio State is seeking to change its image from a “let everybody in and party type” school to a more serious institution of higher learning. The hated rival to the north for example (Michigan in case you are wondering), has a much better academic reputation. Stories like these, and the recent riots, tarnish and hold back OSU’s push to be taken seriously outside of sports. They have some work to do:

The most recent graduation rate data, covering the class that began the 1995-96 academic year, show that Ohio State ranked 10th out of the 11 universities in the Big Ten, graduating 60 percent of its athletes. Only the University of Minnesota, at 54 percent, was worse.

Now, this statistic could be related to size and demographics (it is worth noting the Minnesota is also the predominate state university with a very large student body) but it is not something to be proud of regardless.

This Clarett things seems relativly harmless but possible indicative of larger issues. More later.