Judith Crown, writer and former managing editor and reporter for Crain’s Chicago Business, compares the choices made by former Big Ten colleagues, the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, after contrasting choices in regard to intercollegiate athletics put the two institutions on different paths.
From the article: “With recent consolidation and the creation of megaconferences, the price Division 1 competition in dollars and institutional commitment is rising. Northwestern competes in an arena where athletic expenses at big public universities are growing two times faster than academic budgets, says Amy Perko, CEO of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, which promotes reforms to strengthen the educational mission of college sports.
The Knight Commission and other groups are trying to tackle the larger question of reform. For example, in 2021, the commission proposed that each athletic conference set responsible expense targets and withhold a portion of conference revenue if a school exceeds the targets.”
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