Does this university value athletics over academics?

By Chris Schaller
October 30, 2021

Main Entrance of the Dixon Center (Nerney Pavilion entrance)

photo: Chris Schaller
Main Entrance of the Dixon Center (Nerney Pavilion entrance) photo: Chris Schaller
Top: student-athletes meeting area at the Dixon Center
Bottom: classroom on the third floor of Founders Hall
photo by Chris Schaller

A quick look at Cabrini’s weight rooms, housing and campus accommodations shows the university’s priority for sports over academics when it comes to improvements.

Earlier this year, Cabrini reduced majors, cut faculty and eliminated certain courses, all due to financial losses. 

However, the same level of cuts did not apply to the athletic department, which was seemingly unscathed from the pandemic-induced overhaul.

This is a fair topic to compare and contrast. 

The athletic department is the independent variable; they are not the main catalyst when it comes to the sports-centric culture that Cabrini has built. The fingers should be pointing at the decision-makers at the university for neglecting and ignoring ways over the years to upgrade the infrastructure of academics buildings.

Cabrini University has roughly 1,500 students, and a large portion of them are athletes.

“According to my math, 23 percent of Cabrini students this fall semester are student-athletes,” Dr. Stephen Rupprecht, dean of students, said.

So naturally, when that many students are athletes, there should be passion and pride about having a dominant athletic program. Contrary to that point, athletics should not overshadow academia and the attention that it desperately needs and deserves.

The first daunting difference can be seen in facilities. The school spent a lot of money constructing the Dixon Center back in 1998 as well as expanding the facility in 2016. The facility is open to both students and athletes. However, the athletes, rightfully so, have a separate weight room, training facility and meeting area.

Top: dance/aerobic studio as well as the rowing erg room at Dixon Center
Bottom: library classroom at Holy Spirit Library
photo by Chris Schaller

So while the Dixon Center has been renovated recently, the same can not be said about: Founders Hall, Holy Spirit Library and a handful of the residence halls. Founders Hall, which is the main classroom building, was built in 1960 and has not been renovated since 1999. The building is seriously outdated and does not meet the adequate needs of a 2021 learning hall. Also, Cavs Corner, the school’s cafeteria, is understaffed and has inflexible service hours.

The same applies to the Holy Spirit Library, which was built in 1965, and while it’s been renovated several times, it is still miserably outdated. The library is broken into two floors and is completely unorganized. It has only five printers for the student body. It contains one classroom for classes. That’s not acceptable for a private university in 2021.

Top: Hamilton conference room at Dixon Center
Bottom: work area at Holy Spirit Library
photo by Chris Schaller

Whether they’re athletes or not; students who say they are from Cabrini will usually hear the follow-up question: “Do you play a sport?” Cabrini’s reputation and public relations is pretty much centered around sports. Outside of sports, they are rarely in the news.

Sports at this school also should not be bashed. For the size of the school; the Cavaliers have almost D-II level,  D-III  talent and an exceptional program altogether. The university boasts recent titles in swimming and men’s lacrosse, and consecutive tournament appearances in: women’s basketball, women’s soccer and women’s lacrosse. Overall, it has a decorated athletic program that every student and alum should be proud of. Let’s also focus that energy on the aged and outdated status of this school’s core buildings.

One student, however, disagrees that athletics trumps academics.

The counter-argument is that an athlete cannot compete unless he or she is passing academically.

“No I still think academics still play more of a factor than athletics,” Gerry Ulatowski, an attack redshirt sophomore, said. “Even though athletics are very competitive here for a D-III school, and consume a decent amount of my school day, academics still weigh above everything else.”

With it being a D-III school, that isn’t very known for its academics,  sports should be something to look forward to. However, there should always be ways to brainstorm on how to improve the structures and functions of this university.

This is a common trend amongst many colleges, especially D-I schools, but Cabrini is what is being discussed here.

Cabrini has a 62 percent acceptance rate, and on the other hand, has an elite sports program. It’s good that the university is inclusive of as many students as possible.

But the University must recognize that academics is what drives success, not just athletics. Changes and improvements must be made. This process starts by making the necessary decisions to the academic values the University pride itself on. Athletics may attract students to Cabrini. Modern facilities can be even more of a draw. 

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Chris Schaller

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