The presidents of the 11 colleges and universities that make up the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) have decided to decline a request made by U.S. News & World Report to release statistical information on their athletic programs. The unanimous decision, made at a Dec. 18 meeting, was explained in a statement released on Tuesday by Norman Fainstein, president of Connecticut College and chair of the NESCAC presidents.
The Presidents' decision was influenced by the implications of submitting such information, as well as misinformation on the part of U.S. News & World Report. The 11 schools were first informed that the publication was creating an NCAA Division III ranking system. Later, the schools were told the information would be offered on U.S. News & World Report's website as a "service to readers." However, the presidents were wary of agreeing to give the information with no assurance that a ranking system would not be created.
"The NESCAC has been committed to a balanced and proportionate approach to college athletics, one in which intercollegiate competition, intramural play, physical education and fitness programs are viewed within the context of a liberal education aimed at the development of the whole student," the statement said. "In recent years, the NESCAC presidents have implemented a process of study and discussion to ensure that NESCAC colleges remain true to our principles."
The statement was strong in its opposition not only to providing U.S. News & World Report with the information, but also toward the publication's possible intent to assess Division III athletic programs.
"Efforts by U.S. News and other enterprises to evaluate or rank our athletic programs raise serious concerns for us with regard both to the validity of such rankings and to their effect in influencing our own priorities," the statement continued. "We believe that the present 'data collection' process undertaken by U.S. News may well result in a publication that ranks college athletic programs [and] we are strongly opposed to such an undertaking."
Finally, the presidents used the statement to "state publicly our wish not to be included in any assessment by U.S. News of NCAA Division III athletic programs." Without the NESCAC, U.S. News would be left with an incomplete ranking system, or be forced to go against the will of the 11 schools. Information on what statistics U.S. News was requesting was not released.
Written by DAVID LINDHOLM
