Last December, former head football coach Gary Andersen unexpectedly left the University of Wisconsin for an opening at Oregon State. Rumors surged that one of the reasons Anderson left for what was arguably a lesser program was because he was upset with UW’s admissions standards. Apparently, some UW recruits had trouble being admitted to the university.
CBS Sports reported this week that Andersen confirmed his reason for leaving Madison was his frustration with the high admission standards.
Well, tough. In less than five months, I will (hopefully) walk across the stage and receive my Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from UW. Law school was certainly not easy — it was, without a doubt, the most challenging academic experience in my entire life.
But, as the old cliché goes, the best things in life are the things that you have to work for. I’m proud of the fact that we have some of the finest academic standards in the country here at Wisconsin.
Indeed, that is why a degree from UW is both valued and respected by employers. I’m proud to tell both practicing attorneys and potential employers that I attend the UW Law School. I do not want my degree from this prestigious institution cheapened to simply win a few more football games.
While I never met Andersen personally, he struck me as a humble man who deeply cared about the well-being of his players. But since he left UW because the university would not lower the admissions standards for student-athletes, I’m pleased that we have a new coach.
It is not impossible to have both high academic standards and a highly successful football program. Look at Stanford, which has regularly competed for Pac-12 football titles despite its rigorous academics.
As UW Athletic Director Barry Alvarez pointed out in the CBS Sports article, our standards have always been the standards — they haven’t prevented us from winning Big Ten titles and even the Rose Bowl in the past. Our academics certainly didn’t prevent the university from recruiting a Final Four basketball team last season.
The power of a degree from UW should be both an advantage and selling point in recruiting — not a detriment.
Dan Tombasco ([email protected]) is a J.D. candidate at the UW Law School.
