Lawyers have filed a civil rights lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) saying its policies discriminate against Black athletes. The NCAA requires college sports teams to reach certain academic benchmarks and punishes teams that fall short. The program was designed to encourage student-athletes to focus on their studies and keep the demands of their sport in check. However, teams from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have been disproportionately punished under NCAA rules, leading some to claim the program puts Black athletes at an unfair disadvantage. Listen to learn more about the NCAA’s Academic Performance Program (APP) and then debate: Are academic requirements for college athletes discriminatory?
Story Length: 3:59
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October 18, 2019
2:52
College athletes have been banned from earning money from their sports, but a new law in California will change that. Starting in 2023, college players in California will be allowed to endorse products and sign sponsorship deals. Supporters say that the law will finally give skilled college athletes who bring in millions of dollars for their universities an opportunity to profit themselves. Opponents argue the new law will ruin college athletics by making them more like professional sports. Listen to hear from people on both sides of the issue and then debate: Should college athletes profit from playing sports?
Read MoreFebruary 22, 2019
2:28
A recent lawsuit against Harvard University alleged that the university discriminates unfairly against Asian-Americans in its admissions process. The trial led to an internal investigation at Harvard and the public release of admissions data indicating that Asian-Americans made up a much lower percentage of the class than they would have if admissions were based only on academic achievement. Some are concerned that the lawsuit may dismantle affirmative action practices that have ensured diversity at selective colleges. Listen to hear commentary from an Asian- American who attended an elite college and then debate: Should race be considered in college admissions?
Read MoreApril 10, 2018
4:45
In the United States during the era of slavery, it was illegal for all African Americans, enslaved and free, to learn to read and write. But in 1863 the first school for freed slaves opened and by the end of the 19th century, black colleges supported civil rights activism and helped redefine what it meant to be black in America. A new documentary tells about the history of black colleges and the goals of these educational institutions. Listen to this story to hear more about the creation and development of historically black colleges and universities.
Read MoreSeptember 1, 2016
2:26
Colleges and universities in the U.S. can consider a student’s race when they are deciding if they will admit that student or not. Selecting a racially balanced student body has been important to many colleges and now the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the affirmative-action program at the University of Texas at Austin is legal. The difficulty will be to consider race without discriminating against other students during the admissions process. Listen to hear more about the issue of promoting diversity in admissions policies of colleges and universities.
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