Are "Easy" Classes an Issue for Athletes?

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Today, the NCAA announced their decision that Auburn did not commit academic fraud in 2005 and 2006. The investigation was a result of one professor claiming that some other professors were allowing students to take classes that required no class time and little work.

What the NCAA found was that some independent study courses weren’t as structured as they should have been. They were what I call “fluffy.” They didn’t go into great detail, but I’d venture to guess that these classes had students meeting once every week or so with a professor and working on a larger project to present at the end of the semester.

Now, anyone who’s read this blog before knows that I’m of the opinion that academics need to be first priority, yes even above football and even for guys who will definitely be drafted, probably in the first round. That said, sometimes you just need an easy class.

I had an independent study course in college, my last semester. Did I do work for it? Yes. Was it as demanding as my other classes? No way. In fact, that question is laughable.

You don’t have to take advanced physics every semester to get a good education. Sometimes, it is simply a matter of making good decisions so that your schedule is manageable. And really, if the school is doing what they should, there shouldn’t be enough “easy” classes to fill an entire semester. After all, for an indy study course, you’ll likely not get a full three or four credits. In short, you can’t get by in college ONLY taking easy courses.

How do you feel about the “easy courses” issue?