Letter to the Editors: Coverage of Study Appreciated

I was delighted to see an article in the last edition of the Collegian about the review of athletics (“Examination of Athletics Programs Takes First Steps,” Oct. 4). Just as faculty and others are working to identify and agree upon skills that are essential to a Kenyon education, so too must the College seek to ensure that the role of athletics is well understood, that it dovetails with our mission and that it contributes positively to the excellent education Kenyon seeks to provide.

I expect that one of the most positive outcomes of the athletics study will be a more accurate understanding of the scope and nature of athletics at Kenyon, and in this connection let me add a bit of information to last week’s article, which indicated that “Kenyon employs 60 full and part-time coaches.” I would suggest that a more relevant statistic than a coach headcount is the coaching FTE (full-time equivalent). Because many coach appointments are part-time, the coaching FTE comes in at nearly half the stated headcount, at 31.

Thanks again for highlighting the work of the study group. As their inquiries and conversations continue, I hope we will all have opportunities to ask more questions, to get straight answers and to arrive at shared understanding of the nature and role of athletics at Kenyon.