Taking a Look at the "Journal of Negro Education"

"The Journal of Negro Education (JNE), a scholarly refereed journal, was founded at Howard University in 1932. It is one of the oldest continuously published periodicals by and about Black people. At the time of its inception, however, there was no publication that systematically or comprehensively addressed the enormous problems that characterized the education of Blacks in the United States and elsewhere." (The Journal of Negro Education)

While reading multiple articles from the JNE I came across one entitled "The Impact of Rule 48 Upon the Black Student Athlete: A Comment". In this article Alexander Williams talks mainly about standardized testing and it's unfairness as a regulator upon student athletes acceptance. The NCAA has put standards onto student athletes but not all students. Therefore someone applying to University of Virginia for instance, who is NOT an athlete does not have to have the same GPA or SAT scores as a student athlete. Therefore all students are not being treated equally.

Why have these particular scores been chosen for the cut off points for student athletes applying to Division I schools? The SAT has been known to not represent students accurately. Many students have challenges when facing standardized testing and therefore this results in lower test scores. In 1938 the Chronicle for Higher Education published an article about whites and blacks and the SAT's. In this article it was proven that from the years 1976-1982 the average SAT scores for white students was above 700 and the average for blacks was below 700. Black students averages scores did not reach to 700 until after 1982. (Williams) So is the cut off at 700 placed at the the time because that was the most recent figure of average attainment by black students? Alexander Williams contemplates this question and goes into further research about the SAT and its main problems. He says the Rule 48 or Proposition 48 is going to affect black students the most due to "racial disparity in test scores, a long history that disparity is traceable to racial, cultural and economic biases inherent to the test, and the absoluteness of the 700 cut off" because white students can attain these scores and black students cant. (William)
"The SAT score of 700 for entering freshmen student athletes limits the pool of black student athletes in higher education", William states. When concerning the SAT many courts have ruled that the "tests perpetuate discrimination in schools".(William)

The NCAA cannot legitimately mandate educational policy for high schools. Therefore it is each high schools responsibility to insure that inspiring NCAA athletes have those skills. When the rule was first instated it was thought that basketball and football would be affected the most due to the fact that there were many black players (as there still are today). With the rule in place many deemed it racist due to the fact that it would diminish the number of black athletes.

Taking all of this information into consideration I think it is important to question the purpose of universities and colleges. Aren't students supposed to be learning and growing in knowledge, and skills and embracing their talents?