The academic life of an athlete is often misunderstood. Some students think athletes take easier classes and choose easier majors because they are here solely to play sports.
Others assume athletes receive special treatment from professors and teaching assistants. When taking a closer look, however, one realizes many athletes are here to learn and that they lead more hectic lives than normal students because they are expected to be athletes, celebrities and students, all at the same time.
For some student athletes, gracing the pages of newspapers has become a way of life. Athletes make headlines day after day, yet many do not consider themselves campus celebrities. Kirk Penney, a junior guard on the men's basketball team, is one such student athlete.
\I think I'm just another one of the boys and I don't even want to have [the recognition],"" he said.
While many regard athletes as regular students, some on campus believe athletes, especially the well-known ones, are looked up to.
""In class, I don't really see it, but I get a sense around campus that athletes are looked up to more than the average student,"" math Teaching Assistant Tom Kent said.
Many students argue that the athletes they share classes with are pretty much the same as everyone else.
""I don't see [students] treat them any differently,"" UW freshman Michael Tanner said. ""At least in my case, I treat them as regular people. They're there for the same reason I am.""
However, some TAs see a difference between academic habits of students and athletes.
The Sporting Life: College Athletes and FameThis is part of a four-part series examining the lives of student athletes.
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Kent said he thinks athletes ""could use some more time in class work because the athletics generally takes them away from academics.""
Mary Weaver-Klees is an academic adviser at the Fetzer Student Athlete Academic Center, an advising program designed to assist student athletes in their academic careers at UW. She said she meets with student athletes each day but doesn't perceive them as celebrities.
""I consider them just students and we forget that, yes, they're ... in the newspapers or on TV at night,"" she said.
For many student athletes, concepts such as deadlines for homework, projects and exams become an issue that professors and TAs, as well as the athletes, must address.
Weaver-Klees said one challenge student-athletes face is the amount of traveling they do during their seasons, which means it's sometimes difficult to take exams on time and work on group projects.
""Time has something to do with how they're able to actually function within their classes,"" she said. ""I think that makes them a little bit different than everyone else, because they have other commitments.""
However, UW faculty are generally accommodating to the athletes' schedules and allow for flexibility within set deadlines.
""If they have long-distance trips, we make every accommodation we can, like giving them early exams,"" chemistry TA Eva Ratsie said. ""We make them do everything before they leave.""
Travon Davis, a senior guard on the basketball team, said he has had good experiences with the university faculty.
""I've not run into too many that [aren't] flexible and willing to cooperate,"" he said.
Penney said he's also been fortunate to have understanding professors.
""A great professor is going to give you leniency of doing whatever you can [on road trips],"" he said. ""You do your exams before you go, do them while you're gone and do them when you get back. It's always just a challenge.""
The Fetzer Center, located in the McClain Facility, is a support center for student athletes. The center offers advising, study sessions and tutorials. Academic advisers like Weaver-Klees assist students in selecting courses and majors as well as keeping them on track to graduate.
According to the UW student athlete handbook, student athletes must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits to be eligible for practice and competition. In addition, athletes must graduate within five years and maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average after their first year at the university.
""Our role with them is to help them academically survive on a campus that expects them to be 100 percent student,"" Weaver-Klees said.
Davis, who is pre-business and is taking chemistry, psychology, consumer science and ecology this semester, said he visits the center for most of his tutoring.
""Mr. T [a tutor at the center] does wonders for me,"" Davis said. ""He makes sure everything gets done when it needs to get done.\
