Academcs vs Athletics
As a student, I pay an exorbitant amount of money to attend the University of Maryland. I am thousands of dollars in debt, yet when I want to go to the library to study on a Saturday afternoon, no shuttles are running to take me there, and there is very little parking because so many spaces are taken for those watching the game. At a learning institution, created for the sake of learning, I could not go to the library because of a sports event, which is preposterous.
Over and over again, we see how this university prioritizes athletics over academics, other student groups, safety and the opinions of students. Forget affordable student housing; forget mental health services; even forget the renovation of potentially asbestos-filled buildings that thousands of students take classes and study in. Tydings Hall, for instance, was built in 1961. McKeldin Library, where many students study, was built in 1958; meanwhile, Byrd Stadium has been renovated in 2007, 2009 and 2012, and the beloved Cole Field House, used by many students and student groups will be renovated and include the Terrapin Performance Center, the new headquarters for the Terrapins football team.
My anger regarding prioritizing engineering and business students over all other majors is one thing. But when the university prioritizes athletics over education and students’ well-being by preventing one from studying at the library because football is apparently more important — why even call this university a learning institution?
Today, I had class in a building where the heat was not working. Then as I walked to my next class, I read The Diamondback’s story “The Waiting Game” on the state of on-campus mental health resources. I understand that much of this money is given by donors specifically for athletics, but would it be so hard to ask them to allocate just 10 percent of their donation to mental health services? To safe buildings? To transportation or parking on game days so students can study?
Perhaps it is because I am a transfer student that I am behind on the drama. But I was surprised to hear the complacency in people’s voices when I talked to students and administrators about this. Maybe I don’t understand the value that football provides. Maybe those who prioritize football on Saturdays outnumber those who prioritize the library. Or maybe I chose the wrong school to attend.
