I understand that argument but it also implies that the athletes themselves wouldn't receive academic scholarships. Year after year the athletics department have posted higher cumulative GPA's. With students on all of those teams earning a right to be on the All MAC academic team if not on Academic All American team. Both of which only account for students that played in at least 50% of the season so there could be more than get highlighted.
http://kentstatesports.com/news/2018/4/1...onors.aspx
http://kentstatesports.com/news/2017/12/...-team.aspx
http://kentstatesports.com/news/2017/12/...-team.aspx
"Academic Excellence
This year, once again, brought many record-breaking academic numbers to the Department of Intercollegiate
Athletics. For the 12th consecutive semester we have had a term GPA above a 3.0, with 65% of our student-athletes
above a 3.0 and 47% above a 3.4. In addition to GPA, student-athletes graduated at a record high rate
this year. In the spring, 78 student-athletes graced the graduation stage. Our athletic teams also continued to
excel in the NCAA annual graduation rates. KSU student-athletes outperformed the general student body by
16 percent, with four teams calculating a 100% graduation success rate (GSR) and 12 teams that either maintained
or improved their GSR from one year before. Our overall student-athlete GSR rate continues to increase
and stands at 86% (a 3% increase from last year). KSU teams continued to excel in the Academic Progress Rate
(APR) as well. Five teams (women’s basketball, women’s golf, gymnastics, women’s cross country and volleyball)
all received NCAA accolades for perfect multi-year scores of 1,000."
http://kentstatesports.com/documents/201...or_web.pdf
I think there should be more academic scholarships but I also think that education should be "free" on all levels. Without any special course fees the cost of attendance sits at $22k/year. Being in debt over $100k at the age of 22 is going to be impossible to sustain as a society.