Cancel them

Hard to believe that the president of William & Mary could cede to demands of student athletes to reconsider canceling/ eliminating some collegiate athletic programs. What is the purpose of the university? To educate or provide special costly programs and facilities for a small portion of the student body?

Who pays the bill for student athletes? The answer of course is nonathlete students (the majority of the student body) and revenue generated by the sport. Every student gets a bill from the university that includes a significant amount of money to support athletic programs. For most students, that gets added to their college loan and they derive no measurable educational benefit.

It’s time to rethink collegiate athletics. These costly programs cater to elite athletes. If they cannot generate the revenue to break even, then cancel them. Why should students pay for costly athletic programs, facilities and scholarships? Let the student athletes and their parents fund these programs and see what reaction you get from that policy.

Gail Conley, Virginia Beach