The Observer, February 25, 2005
Volume XXXVII, Issue 19
Improving sports programs will help Case's 'dorky' image
I strongly suggest that all readers check out http://www.case.edu/webdev/mplan/Mplan2.htm to see the direction Case is heading with its "master plan." The goal is to make Case the most powerful learning environment in the world, but one important objective is noticeably absent – making the school more sports- and athlete-friendly.
The master plan includes four major points aiming to make Case more competitive with Ivy League schools for applicants. These goals include improving the quality of student life, building new academic and administrative buildings, expanding selected campus buildings, and connecting the campus with practical and usable outdoor spaces. There has been a change in focus from admitting mostly local people who intend to major in engineering or science to accepting individuals from all over the United States and foreign countries with a broader range of majors. Additionally, the implementation of the SAGES program is also aimed at attracting a more well-rounded range of students to the campus.
Unfortunately, none of the four points or descriptions of the master plan on the website mentions improving the sports programs. In fact, the baseball and football fields were torn down in order to put up the new dorms, and am I the only one wondering where there is enough room for the new fields to be constructed near the new North Residential Village? Additionally, the Veale Center was closed for months for the vice-presidential debate and the weight room was also closed for repairs for the first four weeks of the spring 2004 semester. Football games are played at Brush High School and the baseball team plays road games and practices inside or on a football field. (How ridiculous is that?) Therefore, it is very hard for non-athletes to be excited about the school's athletic teams, for athletes to get adequate training and practice, and for prospective student-athletes to choose Case over schools who treat their athletic programs more seriously.
There is no doubt that building up the sports programs to create a little school spirit and giving the school notoriety will benefit the quality of students that will be attracted. Furthermore, it will make Case a more tolerable place for students already here. I often visit friends at Ohio State, especially during home Buckeye football games. The entire campus erupts, and school spirit is all around. During the weekend when Ohio State plays Michigan, for example, strangers will yell to you "F--- Michigan" with a grin or say "O," to which you respond "H," to which they respond "I," to which you respond "O." The students are happy and are proud to be going to OSU.
In contrast, during a weekend when Case played Washington University in football, no one yelled to me to "F--- Wash U." while I was walking to some biology review session, nor did anyone desire to spell out C-A-S-E with enthusiasm. In fact, some guy who looked like he had not showered in 17 days asked me how Wash U.'s med school was, to which I said that is was second in the nation. We both thought that was real cool.
Clearly, having a good sports program makes students enthusiastic about the school. And, while Ohio State is an extreme example, there are plenty of other, smaller schools that Case can try to model itself after. For example, Mount Union has a great football team that gives the school recognition and gives the student body something to be proud of. The same is true for the Ivy League schools. The "Ivy League" refers to an athletic conference of schools who just so happen to be great at academics. The league includes Harvard, Yale, Penn, Columbia, Cornell, etc. These schools are bitter rivals athletically, and this rivalry was used to increase school spirit and loyalty at the turn of the 20th century, helping to propel these institutions into the elite of the country. Sports at these schools take the student body's mind off of work for awhile, probably making them less uptight than your average Case person. Moreover, a good sports program gives a school more name recognition than any branding campaign could ever do.
A friend of mine in the medical school, who is originally from Maryland, spoke of Case's lack of name recognition there. He said when he told his friends back home he was attending Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, they asked him if Case was a military medical school. Certainly no one says that about Harvard, Yale, or Penn. As I look at Case's master plan, I ask myself if my soon-to-be alma mater will be better 20 years down the road and if the goal to decrease the 70 percent acceptance rate and huge turndown rate will be realized. Surely better academic facilities, living accom-modations, and a "prettier" campus is a start. However, these changes will do little to help create a more enthusiastic pro-Case student body and make Case more attractive and notable around the nation. Therefore, without bettering the sports programs and their facilities, the school appears to be more on the binary walkway than the fast track to success.
