I am writing to commend Coach Tony Bennett for his remarks about academic performance expectations for student athletes participating in the University's basketball program. On Sunday, March 7th, the Charlottesville Daily Progress reported that Coach Bennett stated, "It's important for our current and future players to understand it's a privilege to compete in the ACC and attend one of the finest institutions in the country. My hope is ... the young men in our program understand the value of a degree from the University of Virginia and the opportunities it provides for life after basketball."
I chair the University Faculty Senate, which has been in discussions with Littlepage over the past year about the faculty's desire that student athletes take their "student" role as seriously as their "athlete" role. Coach Bennett's statements are a welcome sign that academic expectations and the responsibilities and privileges that come with being a student at the University are important considerations for the basketball program. I thank him for his remarks, and hope they reflect the sentiments of all our coaches. I believe that faculty at the University welcome the opportunity to partner with our athletics programs to promote student success in the classroom. Faculty are passionate about academic excellence here, for all of our students.
Prof. Ann B. Hamric\nSchool of Nursing\nChair, UVA Faculty Senate
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