I have to add a whole-hearted "AMEN!" to Walter Olsen's comments
about athletes and academics.  Go to most schools and you'll find
that it's the student-athletes -- as a group -- who have a
higher-than-average GPA, who participate in clubs and organizations,
who are first to volunteer for community projects, and who make an
effort to be a real part of the campus community.
 
Keep in mind that in any group, there'll be a few individuals "at the
bottom."  And, yes, at a few schools athletics (or more accurately,
certain sports) becomes an end in itself, and those student-athletes
have a greater chance of forgetting the importance of their
educational opportunity.
 
Finally, in 20+ years of working with Canadian students, my
experience has been that almost all of the Canadian hockey players
who come to the U.S. for college absolutely treasure the chance to
earn a degree.  If that weren't true, why would so many leave their
Junior teams in Canada to play at a "lower" level at an American
university in the first place?
 
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Dr. Stephen E. Roth                [log in to unmask]
Dean of Student Services
Canisius College                            (716) 888-2522
Buffalo, New York 14226                 FAX (716) 888-3190
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