Guaranteed Degrees
With the university cutting all ties from the ACC and going full steam ahead into its first season in the Big Ten, it seemed as though the image of university athletics were on the rise and couldn’t get much better. However, the university further enhanced the athletic department’s prowess by announcing Tuesday that it will offer lifetime degree guarantees to student athletes in certified university sports.
The program, “The Maryland Way Guarantee,” will essentially require the university to uphold student athletes’ scholarships even if they are unable to play due athletic ineligibility or physical injury. In addition to honoring athletic scholarships, the new initiative will allow former athletes who left the university in good academic standing and want to return to finish their degrees to apply for financial aid via the Terrapin Club Scholarship Fund but want to return to finish their degrees. Simply put, the program is helping student athletes earn their degrees, despite any wrenches thrown in an athlete’s path.
Considering this university is one of the first institutions to spearhead this program, guaranteeing an athlete the ability to finish his or her degree regardless of athletic participation illustrates that the university values education above all else. And unlike similar programs at other universities, this university’s degree guarantee blankets all university-sanctioned sports — not just revenue generators such as football and men’s and women’s basketball — which further shows that education is at the core of this decision.
The guarantee also makes university athletics, especially revenue sports, more marketable to prospective student-athletes. Recruiters can assure prospective students and their families that the university will be behind students no matter what in order for them to earn their degree.
However, despite the surface benefits of basically guaranteeing an athlete his or her degree at this university, certain standards should be applied to athletes who will rely on “The Maryland Way Guarantee” so it will not be unfair to the rest of the student population.
The guarantee already addresses that an athlete who left the university must have left in good academic standing to apply for financial aid. However, certain stipulations need to be established for scholarship athletes who are unable to play but wish to remain at the university to earn their degrees.
If athletes are unable to play on the court or on the field, then they should be held to some, if not the same, academic standards as merit-based scholars. For example, the most prestigious merit-based scholarship at this university is the Banneker/Key Scholarship, an all-inclusive scholarship to this university. Recipients must maintain a minimum of a 3.2 cumulative GPA. These merit scholars must also be registered for at least 12 credits per semester and average 30 credits per academic year.
While officials could establish a fair GPA and credit requirement for athletes to keep their scholarships, it’s not unfair to expect the same amount of academic achievement required of merit scholars. If an athlete is no longer able to participate in their sport, then they are in a situation more similar to a merit scholar than an athletic scholarship recipient.
The “Maryland Way Guarantee” is a good step for this university in prizing education above all else. However, more steps must be taken to guarantee a level playing field for both merit and athletic scholars.
