Ithaca students report from San Antonio

Ithaca students report from San Antonio       Clips Eyewitness Report       Under
the benevolent eye of Professor & Graduate Chair Ellen Staurowsky, a squad of Ithaca sports
management students is currently scurrying about the venues (three San Antonio hotels).  

By Ben Kunkel & Sho Takaki, Ithaca College, 1-13-11

Ed.-The Clips Editor was unable to personally attend the NCAA convention in San
Antonio. However, in my stead, there many Clips operatives prowling the proceedings – yes,
the aforementioned platoon of Ithaca grad students, but also sage & savvy management
consultants, unnamed D1 ADs (Tim, you know who you are) and an assorted scrum of FARs,
SWAs & SIDs who have drunk the Clips Kool-Aid. Alas, it is no easy task to cover the expanse
and complexity of an NCAA convention, but these Clips operatives (all of them sworn in as duly
vested members of the Clips Truth Squad) will provide coverage of the entire range of
disciplines and issues of the day. However, we are having some difficulty in lining up one of the
more popular Clips Eyewitness Report convention features, and that is the traditional midnight
report from the Lobby Bar. Some of the difficulty is that there are apparently three lobby bars
(in the three separate hotels), but also some Trurh Squaders have whined about the late hour,
the skimpy per diem (what’s Latin for “per night?”) and the loose & sloppy non-journalistic
environment. if anyone at the convention is reading this and thinks they might want to cover the
goings-on at the lobby bar (no names, no photos, no schools), then give me a call and we’ll
work up a bar expense arrangement for you…..

The following report

was filed by Ben Kunkel and Sho Takaki, grad students in theDepartment of Sport Management
& Media at Ithaca College. [For those of you in Rio Linda, Ithaca College is a highly regarded
liberal arts school with a robust sports management program and a very competitive D3
athletics program.]

1/3
Ithaca students report from San Antonio

Panel about Domestic Violence and Student Athletes   NCAA President Mark Emmert led
the discussion and was joined by Allen Groves, the Dean of Students at the University of
Virginia, Ada Meloy who works for the American Council on Education, and Donald McPherson,
a College Football Hall of Famer as well as, a social activist. We had heard that President
Emmert was an enthusiastic and engaging speaker, and we couldn’t help but agree.

McPherson began the discussion stating that many times the issue of domestic violence is seen
as a women's issue rather then an issue for both males and females, which it is. “Rather then
giving women rape whistles we should be teaching men how to act in relationships to stop the
violence” McPherson said.

Men from a young age are taught from a young age the negative and many of the inhuman
characteristics men are suppose to have, such as not crying or being vulnerable. This then
translates to their relationships and can lead to violence. Men need to be taught a more positive
type of masculinity that will help them understand how to act properly and respectfully in a
relationship.

Educating youth is important in this process and helping college students understand what
resources they can use. Mr. Groves discussed briefly the Yeardley Love murder which took
place at UVA last spring and the effect that the incident had on many students to use the
resources available to them and ask for help. Yeardly Love was a UVA women's lacrosse player
who was murdered by her (ex) boyfriend, George Huguely. Domestic violence should never be
ignored but many students do not know who to turn to or where to go when they see or are
involved in domestic violence. Mr. Groves stated that it was necessary for the college or
university to help make students aware of the resources available to them and because all
schools are in the business of “human capitalism” it is important that they all find ways to help
and support their students.

The other issue that quickly came up when talking about college students and domestic
violence was alcohol. Many young students come to college with little experience or knowledge
in drinking and the sex. This which is a bad combination. Mr. Groves stated that he has never
had a domestic violence issue come before him that did not include the consumption of alcohol.

2/3
Ithaca students report from San Antonio

Alcohol lessens a person’s rationalization of situations which causes them to do things they
might not without the presence of alcohol. This does not just apply to college athletes either.
Any student can be affected by domestic violence and athletes do not make up the majority.
They are just the ones covered by the media. Domestic violence is an issue that affects every
college campus in the country. Educating students on the resources they have available to
them, educating youth, and changing the way we teach and view masculinity are the best steps
in combating domestic violence.

3/3