Tensions between personal and professional moral codes
The case focuses on the decision making process of William Frederickson, a director of athletics at a NCAA Division III university, who was faced with an untimely student-athlete and employee conduct issue. Days before West Rimrock University was set to play in their first ever Division III national championship game, their star football quarterback, Phil Johnstone, was arrested for public intoxication on the Grand Canal, a highly trafficked tourist attraction in the city. To make matters worse, immediately prior to being arrested Johnstone had called an assistant football coach, Coach Jeff Granderson, for help. When Coach Granderson arrived, Johnstone was being arrested. In an attempt toreason with the police officer, Coach Granderson overstepped his bounds and was arrested for resisting arrest and interfering with the police officer’s duties.
Please answer the following in complete sentences:
1) What should be the role of an athletics department in educational institutions?
The role for the educational institution should be to make sure students are going to class, getting help if student needs a tutor, making sure students are passing classes and make sure student is turning in work on time.
- Would your answer be different if you worked in a NCAA Division I versus a Division III institution? Would it be different if the case did not involve football?
No, because the standard should be the same weather it is division I or division III. More information
2) Do you feel that Mr. Frederickson would have made the same decision if he worked for a Division I institution? Why or why not?
Yes , I think he would make the same decision because DI players get more exposure and media coverage then DIII players.
2) What are the advantages and disadvantages of combining sport and education?
A disadvantage they can be focus more on the sport then education. An advantage is sports teams gives us study hall, tutors, class checks, grade checks and specific time to work on school work.
4) In light of the case, how can the incident be leveraged in a way that demonstrates the benefits of combining sport and education?
Even though he is a student athlete he is still a student at the university and makes sure he finish college and get his education.
5) Does the university have a right (or responsibility) to hold student-athletes to a higher standard than non-athletes does?
Yes, because they are representing not only themselves but also the team and the university, so they have the right to hold players to a higher standard.
- Why or why not? Does it make a difference whether the athlete is on scholarship or not?
Because the school is giving you money to come to the university and get an education. The money includes books, room and board, food, and tutors etc.
- Should different standards apply for employees and student-athletes?
Standards should be the same because both student and employee are both representing the team and university.
6) As the vice president who oversees the athletics department, what advice would you give Mr. Frederickson.
I would say contain the situation. What will make it worse will be more people finding out. If only the most important people need to know then there will not be a public image problem. Then the next step would be take legal counseling.
Would you have made the same decision?
Yes, because he is a major contributor to the team and we can find another punishment to give the athlete other than missing the championship game.
If not, what would have done differently and why?
7) What tensions between personal and professional moral codes might be present?
Personal tensions would be: the coach knows that his player is wrong and also the coach is wrong for approaching the officer and bribing the officer.
Professional tensions would be: one of the main jobs of the coach is to make sure that his player is safe so his job could be at stake if his player goes to jail so that could possibly make the coach approach the officer.
8) If Phil Johnstone had previously been expelled from the university, would your decision have been made more easily or differently?
Yes, because not to many student athletes get second chances and he already got a second chanced and he just ruined it. Most likely he would let go from the team and possibly the university.
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