Sleeping in and missing class on a rainy day is a common collegiate occurrence.
But LSU athletes may have to answer for their absence if they choose to catch a few extra winks.
The Cox Communications Academic Center for Student Athletes has consistently checked athletes’ attendance since the 1990s.
Bobby Powers, academic coordinator for football, said the attendance checking program is commonly used nationwide although the NCAA does not keep records. Powers, a linebacker in the early 1990s for the University of Michigan football team, said Michigan routinely performed attendance checks when he was enrolled.
“It helps freshmen make the transition from high school to college,” Powers said. “It holds them accountable. It’s simple … you go to class. It’s a philosophy throughout the whole country.”
Powers said the Academic Center employs about six student workers to check athletes’ attendance. The students either ask the athletes to sign in before class or see them and check them off their list. Student workers then attend their own classes rather than stay in the athletes’ classes.
Tommy Powell, Director of Academics for the Academic Center, sent an e-mail to professors Jan. 24 informing them about the attendance checking process.
“Our student workers will not enter the classroom and will not attend the class,” Powell wrote. “All checking will be completed outside before the class begins. If they are doing their job, you should not even know they are there.”
Powers said the athletic department does not deliver punishments if a player has a poor attendance record, but redshirt senior football punter Patrick Fisher said coaches may impose some punishment for missing class.
“If you miss class, the coaches usually have a point system,” Fisher said. “For every ‘X’ number of classes missed it could turn into running or more workouts. Sometimes you’re tired from practice or whatnot … It’s a really good motivation as far as going to class.”
Earl Chevalier, assistant strength and conditioning coach, supervised class attendance for the Academic Center from 2004 to 2006. He said freshmen are the most checked athletes.
“We want to make sure it doesn’t get to a point that freshmen think they can get away with whatever they want,” Chevalier said. “We want to show them the ropes and show them how things should be handled. Once they achieve well academically, we tend not to check them as much.”
Chevalier said the Academic Center attempts to keep a balance between players’ free wills and the need to check attendance.
“We don’t want to belittle anyone,” Chevailer said. “That’s always a concern. They are students. They are human beings. We don’t want to accuse them of something they did or didn’t do.”
Some students say keeping watch on the athletes may be an unfair requirement.
Jonathan Massey, petroleum engineering junior, said he did not know the attendance checking program existed.
“I don’t think there is a need for it,” Massey said. “As long as they’re making the grades needed to keep their scholarships, who cares?”
Massey said he is an avid LSU athletics fan and has had class with several athletes, including football and soccer players.
“If they weren’t athletes, no one would care,” Massey said. “If I missed a week of class, no one would care.”
——Contact Amy Brittain at [email protected]