Pretending that Education is Part of Big Time Sports

This is Lew Margolis.

Recently, I participated in the faculty procession to honor the more than 500 graduates of the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.  It is gratifying to ponder the contributions that our faculty and staff make to the professional and personal paths of our remarkable students.  Public health graduates are a glowing expression of UNC’s mission to advance scholarship, research, and creativity, becoming the next generation of leaders.

The graduation was held in Carmichael Arena, appropriately festooned with Carolina blue and white balloons and school of public health banners.  In spite of these aesthetic efforts, however, one cannot escape the feeling that Carmichael is a world far removed from the university’s life of scholarship, research, and creativity.  The corridors are lined with larger than life action photos of women’s basketball players with captions of their athletic accomplishments.  Numerous banners broadcast assorted tournament appearances and championships.  I think that athletics are an important part of a healthy life and accomplishments are worthy of praise.

What can we do, however, to reflect that the primary purpose of attendance at UNC is education?

Here’s a thought.  Let’s add educational accomplishments to the athletic declarations.  Why not ask each player honored with one of these portraits for a favorite quote from a literature class, or the report of a meaningful encounter with a professor, or even a shout out to their most challenging class?  Let’s put graduation rates on each of the overhead banners.

The next time a graduation is held in Carmichael, those wandering the corridors or counting the championship banners during the too long remarks by the commencement speaker, would perhaps be gently reassured that we are indeed in a university, an institution where education is at the core of its mission.