The Barn's New York Times Investigation

Discussion in 'The Tiger's Den' started by TigerBait3, Jul 13, 2006.

  1. vatz22AU

    vatz22AU Founding Member

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    I took a class called something like," Intro to Auburn," ..... something along the lines of that nature. I heard it was an easy A and I needed 3 hours. I barely showed up and turned in one project. I came out with an A and 3 easy hours.

    Every university has its breeze classes and its hard ones. Obviously, the core classes aren't like these. Every student can testify for this one.
     
  2. CParso

    CParso Founding Member

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    LSU has a similar class it recommends all students take as entering freshmen, but it only counts for one credit hour & doesn't go towards any major - unlike these online sociology courses where kids were getting degrees in Sociology without taking real sociology classes.
     
  3. vatz22AU

    vatz22AU Founding Member

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    Most of them were only taking about 1-2 IS/DS courses per semester... they still had to go to class and do the work for all the other hours they are required to have.
     
  4. CParso

    CParso Founding Member

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    I'm not saying the entire academia of Auburn is a fake, but these courses appear to be. We'll have to see as the story unfolds, but it doesn't look good for ya'll.
     
  5. cadillacattack

    cadillacattack Illegitimi non carborundum est

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    cparso, i think you seem to be under the impression the sociology class in question is "online" , or a "fake" altogether - but that's not the case. That's what makes the whole story disappointing.

    The class requirements are approved by the department head according to the curriculum criteria required by the University - same as they are at LSU and other accredited institutions.

    In this particular case, you cannot elect the class, you can only be admitted if you are recommended by your Counselor and with the approval of the department head. The course rubrick IS NOT set up on an individual basis.

    In my previous post (in this tread) I reviewed the types of students that are allowed to utilize these programs. In general, a special need is required, such as remote learning or workload requirements (like a job or an athletic commitment)

    Ask many of your Track & Field and football athletes if they know about these programs ..... trust me, they are very familiar with these programs.
    Athletes make up less than 10% of the participants, yet they are unfairly being singled out. It's wrong.

    What these folks are basically trying to say is that if you don't get your credit hours by traditional means, then your degree is meaningless .... that you cheated to get a degree. And that pizzes me off because I can state with certainty that is not the case. :angryfire

    Bottom line - if you want to prevent athletes from utilizing these programs, then the programs must be eliminated altogether. That's not going to happen though, because if schools like Auburn, LSU, and others don't offer these programs, the revenue-loss would be subtantial. To put it in perspective, my tuition rates for a program like this are roughly double that of the average student - and students that Co-OP would be jeopardized by the cutoff in corporate funding.
     
  6. CParso

    CParso Founding Member

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    I understand what independent study is. When 80% of every athlete makes an A, and the rest make a B - tell me it doesn't sound like this class is a farse.

    Which the guy who went to NYT points out & says the "corruption" or whatever you want to call it went all the way up to the top.

    25% at Auburn, and it would probably be higher if not for NCAA rules not allowing any class to be any higher than that.

    As a full time traditional student, athlete or not, atleast some of your major classes should be traditional.

    The programs in general aren't in question - Auburn's version of the program by one specific professor is in question.
     
  7. cadillacattack

    cadillacattack Illegitimi non carborundum est

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    So now you're claiming the professor, department head, university president, athletic department - all of them - were directly involved? :lol:
    Your claim of 25% is false. And furthermore, the NCAA has no voice in it. They don't set or approve curriculum. The only way the NCAA would be involved is if athletes were given preferential treatement, and didn't happen here. The average athlete grade in the class was lower than that of the general student average for those that participated in the class. The only way the NCAA would be involved is if there was evidence of influence by the Athletic department, which is not insinuated by the authors.
    By default, that is the case. Not all coursework is offered in such a format.
    I've re-read the article and can find no such statement or inference.

    Listen, cparso. I'm not saying nothing was wrong with the way the program was managed, but to impune all student-athletes and all participants of these types of programs based on such flimsy, distorted, far-speculating claims is paramount to endorsing tabloid "journalism" and witch hunts.

    The problem with that ...... you could easily find yourself being the next target
     
  8. red55

    red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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    Non-standard coursework like these or intersession courses or correspondence courses are not unusual and range from easy to difficult. It should be pointed out that Shaq finished his LSU degree after leaving early for the NBA by taking just such courses. But not all are approved by the NCAA for scholarship athletes because of the potential for abuse.

    The problem only comes if certain professors are cutting slack to athletes in violation of the rules. Such slack can happen in traditional coursework just as easily. I know professors who allow athletes to take tests late and make up coursework because of athletic practice and travel during the season and that is ususally no big deal. They also do it for other students with special needs.

    But marking athletes present when they did not show, allowing them to earn extra credit, and giving grades they did not earn is a big deal. Auburns investigation will no doubt shed light on just what kind of slack these athletes got, and if it violated a rule.
     
  9. TwistedTiger

    TwistedTiger Founding Member

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    Sorry red55 but I couldn't let that one pass.:hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :hihi:
    I'd put him at free safety, no way they could throw over him.
     
  10. OVD

    OVD Founding Member

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    The fact is 18 members of the 2004 football team are involved in this embarrassing scandal. I am not shocked, as we all know from years past that schools in Alabama cheat. It's absurd what schools like Bama and AU will do to try and keep up w/LSU on the football field. I am sick and tired of these shenanigans. AU should be punished and put back on probation for ten years. You look at LSU athletes studying and working hard to become academic all Americans and strive to be the best they can be on and off the field and then here comes AU. Not only do our athletes study their butts off in school but they also have to learn a playbook twice the size of AU. I think a special independent SEC commission should be created to monitor ALL wrong doings in the state of Alabama alone. I get a proud feeling when I read about athletes like Shaq coming back to school to finish up his degree after going on to make millions in the pros and I get sick to my stomach to the point of vomiting when sorry teams like AU and Bama get busted for cheating. It reminds me of the major differences between the fans. LSU fans want disciplinary actions taken and AU fans are quick to sweep it under the rug. IM glad Miles turned down TT offer to replace the iron bowl at the end of the year. The less we get involved w/Alabama programs the better off we are. Sooner or later everything comes out and cheaters never amount to anything when it's all said and done. This scandal doesn’t just hurt AU football; it makes the whole SEC look bad. Thank Jesus, Mary and Joseph Addai that we have teams like LSU to uphold the legacy of the SEC. LSU! :champs: LSU! :champs: LSU! :champs: LSU!
     

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