Separate Kingdoms: Academic Advisers’ Perceptions of College Athletes and Athletic Departments

Authors

  • Sarah Stokowski Clemson University
  • Lisa M. Rubin Kansas State University
  • Cheryl R. Rode Niagara University
  • Alison Fridley Northern State University
  • Sasha Shkorupeieva University of Arkansas

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26209/mj2261353

Keywords:

academic advising, academic advisers, perceptions, college athletes, athletic department culture

Abstract

Existing scholarship suggests that faculty, staff, and non-athlete students hold negative views of college athletes’ academic abilities, but few studies have examined academic advisers’ perceptions. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore primary role advisers’ views of college athletes and the athletic department at their institutions. One hundred and fifty-five academic advisers at NCAA Division I Power 5 institutions answered an open-ended survey question asking for general thoughts about advising student-athletes and working with athletic departments. Our analysis of the data suggests that academic advisers link athletes’ academic performance to the culture and organization of athletic departments. Specifically, advisers believe (a) college athlete academic motivation varies by sport, (b) time demands make athletes prioritize athletics over academic success, (c) athletic departments enable athletes, and (d) athletic departments are siloed from academic advising. Broadly, these findings reveal that academic advisers do not simply stereotype athletes as “dumb jocks,” which previous scholarship implies they would. Rather, they see poor academic performance as the product of students’ broader cultural and institutional context. These findings suggest that supporting college athletes involves not only combating negative stereotypes, but also building and repairing relationships between academic advisers and athletic departments.

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Published

2020-12-10