Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, July 21, 1990                   TAG: 9007230281
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

MUST COLLEGES HAVE `BIG-TIME' SPORTS?

I hope Tech does not kowtow to the Atlantic Coast Conference again in hopes of being accepted. The ACC has not wanted Tech in the past and I question if Tech should want to be in the ACC.

Tech is in a good conference that will probably expand, and it should remain there. If other conferences are interested, they will let Tech know.

I'm a sports fan, but I can't understand why colleges feel they must have "big-time" sports. Do the majority of the students really want it? I suspect not - a poll on this would be interesting.

Do the majority of alumni really want it? I suspect not, based on the percentage of alumni who contribute to athletic programs.

Does it really enhance the overall reputation of the school? I know not - in fact often it is just the opposite.

Does it enhance the quality of campus life? I don't hear students and alumni from "de-emphasized" schools complaining about having missed out on something.

If a school really wants to improve its reputation and get national recognition, maybe the answer is to de-emphasize sports. JIM BUSH WILLIS