By Xhaxany Cuellar, Assistant Editor
It is no secret that the student body enjoys watching athletes succeed in their chosen sports, however some may feel concerned about student athletes receiving special treatment simply because they are athletes. Students may assume that because of the reputation associated with athletics, student athletes attain extra privileges.
Fans crowd into the stands to watch our skilled athletes, sporting purple and gold attire to show their support. The university arranges interviews with the team's leading players and will frequently broadcast team statistics. In contrast, with a regular student, student athletes receive much more recognition. Subsequently, you can argue this puts an extra strain on athletes who constantly have to juggle competition and training along with their studies
So do student athletes get special treatment? The short answer is no, though peers may feel that getting to make up missed assignments and missing class is special treatment. In reality it is a huge trade off for athletes; missing a day at school for sports takes away time from their studies and athletes do it all because they love the sport of their choosing. They do not get paid for their time nor do they get breaks to catch up. University athletes are constantly on the go with no time for a break.
Even if an athlete is traveling constantly and missing out on class time, the same standards are expected of student athletes of any other student. At the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor all students are required to maintain a 2.0 grade point average, and student athletes cannot participate in any activities unless their GPA is at the minimum.
In order for treatment to be considered 鈥渟pecial鈥� athletes would have to be getting some sort of head start others usually would not get. Free food, tutors and scholarships are not special treatments; they are benefits to being a student athlete and these are mandated by the National Collegiate Athletes Association. There is some preferential treatment for our athletes, only with those who have a consideration that they lead busy lives.
