Hi all,
 
I know the season is about to start and REAL hockey discussions will soon be
screaming across the internet .. but I had a discussion with a colleague
of mine, which, while not directly connected to hockey, makes for some food
for thought, especially if it ends up impacting Div I sports.
 
This discussion related to Prop 209, the so-called anti affirmative action
proposition passed here in CA last year (I do NOT want to get into the
prop itself and believe me, I am NOT a native, so I cannot give you any
insight into how the people of this state vote :-) .... but if you don't
know, it basically wipes out any consideration of race/gender/etc for
anything related to state business, which includes higher education.  A
result of this, for example, has been no afr/americans admitted to the UCSD
med school this fall.  The law will begin being applied to undergrad
admissions at the UC and CSU systems beginning this fall for admissions
Fall '98 ....
 
... here is where the point is finally .... my colleague said that he
inferred this would carry over to athletic admissions. At many
institutions, including my own, there are reserved spots for athletes who
do not need to compete on the same basis for spots as non-athletes. Of
course, they have to meet minimum standards, but can be admitted barely
above those because they are athletes.  Aha!  Is this now NOT permitted in
California under the anti-discrimination Prop 209? In other words, if the
only thing you go on is the student ACADEMIC preparation, will this mean that
athletes no longer get special admission? I know other states are
considering this, and if they pass something akin to it, I think this is
likely to be a hot topic in "hockey states."  If you don't believe things
migrate eastward, check out the so-called tax revolt, started in 1978
right here in good old California, with Proposition 13 and Howard Jarvis :-)
 
BTW, I am not a lawyer, so don't even ask me what the "correct answer" is.
There probably is none.  Anyone really believe that UCLA will no longer
offer scholarships to basketball players?
 
Obligatory Hockey Content:  I was glad to see RPI ranked #5 in preseason
polls.  Hope the Woof Gods don't see it.  Maybe the polls should have
said Rensselaer, then the Gods would not have recognized the name  :-)
 
2nd Hockey Content: looking ahead anxiously to the NCAA's in Anaheim in
'99, does anyone know if the game date format has been set?  Is it
Fri-Sat, or Th Fri Sat  or what?  Thanks for any info!
 
Tony Buffa
RPI '64, Univ of Illinois (Urbana) '66 and '69
 
Physics Dept
Calif Poly St Univ, San Luis Obispo
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.