Academic Reputation and Athletic Affiliation: What Joining the PAC-12 Means for the U
David Lymburner on June 30, 2011 in College Entry No Comments »
The U’s move to the Pac-12 athletic conference has generated considerable excitement on campus and across the state. However, in some corners apprehension has surfaced. Most prominent among the worries is money, given the “arms race” that has emerged in college athletics over the last decade. Just this past week the Chronicle of Higher Education detailed the dramatic increase in university subsidies for athletic departments. Although there’s little doubt that the U’s move to the Pac-12 will result in greater demand for new athletic facilities, higher salaries for coaches, and increased pressure on targeted development activities, it’s important to consider the broader relationship between athletic conference affiliation and academic reputation.
Among what have been referred to as the “big six” athletic conferences, the two with the strongest academic reputations by far are the Big Ten and the Pac-12. Five of the 11 Big Ten schools are ranked in the U.S. News and World Repo
