Reddit mentions of Beer and Circus: How Big-Time College Sports Is Crippling Undergraduate Education

With regard to divestment of athletics and academics I highly recommend [Beer and Circus](Beer and Circus: How Big-Time College Sports Is Crippling Undergraduate Education https://www.amazon.com/dp/0805068112/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vPJXBbSJGGGYM)

If anyone is interested in reading more about this topic I highly suggest reading Beer and Circus. It discusses not only the craziness of college athletics but its effects on the undergraduate educational system.

Not bad, if you liked this article, check out the book "Beer and Circus".

I agree with you on sports programs 100%. An interesting read about that is http://www.amazon.com/Beer-Circus-Crippling-Undergraduate-Education/dp/0805068112

Our athletic department is not a source of profit for the school either directly, or indirectly through alumni, see the following for discussion and references:
http://www.amazon.com/Beer-Circus-Crippling-Undergraduate-Education/dp/0805068112
http://www.amazon.com/Intercollegiate-Athletics-American-University-Perspective/dp/0472089439
the latter written by former president of U of M, James Duderstadt. This is an incredibly widespread myth which is extremely pernicious in its ability to confuse and misdirect. Only a handful of athletic departments in the country can occasionally make a profit, and this is only after the significant help with overheads from their University (grounds, maintenance, IT support, various staff) and the often directly shady or illegal bookkeeping going on. None of those schools which make a profit from their athletic department do so consistently.

As to your other points, see Beer and Circus above for a thorough destruction of all of those less measurable points. To simplify grossly: the spirit and "rounding" you refer to are blatantly antithetical to the school's primary missions of education, scholarship, and service.

In true reddit fashion, stop being a fucking sheep and look around occasionally.