Dear Editor,
As a student athlete at La Verne, I am bewildered by the statement of professor Rick Simon when he says, “Athletes receive certain benefits not afforded to the general student body.”
What are these benefits and how come I’m not receiving them? Off the top of my head I can only think of two benefits. The first is the close friends I have made and the second is the physical benefits. Aside from these two, I see the benefits as being the same as the debate team, ASF or other club member would receive. Except that I left out that their advisors can write recommendations for them.
However, there are a few drawbacks to being a student athlete:
1. Time commitment—hours spent practicing
2. Injuries—I own about $2,500 worth of knee braces and have probably had no less than 30 X-rays in my collegiate career.
3. Extra cost—Shoes and extra equipment are not provided, also I have very little time to work.
4. Stereotypes—Because I play athletics I am not considered to be as intelligent as others.
Now add to all of this that the people that know me best, the people I spend most of my time in the classroom with, the people who care about me the most, not just as an athlete, not just as a student, but as a person, cannot do anything to help me in getting a named scholarship, because of the fringe benefits I receive!
Professor Simon, if you would like to help me spend some of my fringe benefits, I get my check on the 10th and the 26th of every month, just like every other work study students, from working in the office of undergraduate admissions 15 to 20 hours a week. Of course, I have to pay my rent and bills first and that should leave us about $20.
Jeffrey Drouin
Senior
This letter was also signed in support by 71 other student athletes.
Dear Editor,
In regards to Campus Times article last week entitled, “Rescission sparks ASF open forum,” and the coverage certainly appearing today, it is refreshing to see the Associated Student Federation Forum do something more than allocate money for parties.
During my five semesters at the University, I have never seen something so productive and politically worthwhile coming from ULV’s “student government.” ASF somehow managed to change the normally apathetic La Verne student body into a letter-writing machine comparable to children at Christmas time.
However, do not get complacent, ASF. You have the opportunity and the responsibility as elected officials to do more than just spend our money on cheap ripoffs of Star Tours. Do not go back to just spoon-feeding the undergraduates with an endless array of social events. Use this chance to foster intellectual communication between students of higher learning.
Hopefully two things will happen as a result of Tuesday’s rally: Congress will defeat the bill and the ASF Forum will realize its potential.
Vince Wetzel
Junior
Dear Editor,
Rosie Sinapi’s column last week contained both an erroneous date and an incorrect statement. One of her favorite sports memories was “a young, unknown pitcher by the name of Orel Hershiser going the distance to secure the World Series for the 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers.” Most sports fans would know that the Dodgers did not play in the 1983 World Series since they lost to the Phillies 3 games to 2 in the National League Playoffs. Perhaps the author was referring to the 1988 World Series when the Dodgers beat the Oakland Athletics. In that case, calling Orel Hershiser “young” and “unknown” would be rather ignorant. Young? He was 29 years old. Unknown? Hershiser was a six year veteran by that time, and had a 19-3 record in 1985, barely losing the Cy Young award to Dwight Gooden. When Hershiser started the World Series, he had already broken Don Drysdale’s scoreless-inning streak of 59 innings, and ended with six straight shutouts. What you should have said was that Hershiser was unknown to you, but not the educated sports fan. So Rosie, if you are going to talk sports, do us all a favor and do you homework first.
Todd Blickenstaff
Junior
Jeffrey Drouin
Vince Wetzel