Varsity|JJ athletics|NNS :|: Credit|NN or|CC no|UH ?|. It|PRP 's|VBZ a|DT matter|NN of|IN balance|NN 
Vassar|NNP 's|POS varsity|JJ athletes|NNS may|MD soon|RB receive|VB academic|JJ credit|NN for|IN participating|VBG in|IN their|PRP$ sports|NNS during|IN the|DT school|NN year|NN .|. 
This|DT proposal|NN has|VBZ been|VBN in|IN the|DT works|NNS for|IN nearly|RB two|CD years|NNS ,|, and|CC at|IN long|JJ last|NN ,|, folks|NNS are|VBP voting|VBG to|TO approve|VB it|PRP .|. 
Or|CC to|TO not|RB approve|VB it|PRP ,|, but|CC the|DT former|JJ seems|VBZ more|RBR likely|JJ .|. 

As|IN a|DT member|NN of|IN the|DT Student|NNP Athlete|NNP Advisory|NNP Committee|NNP and|CC as|IN a|DT long|JJ -|: time|NN varsity|JJ athlete|NN ,|, you|PRP might|MD say|VB I|PRP have|VB particular|JJ stake|NN in|IN the|DT proposal|NN .|. 
After|IN all|DT ,|, I|PRP could|MD get|VB half|NN a|DT unit|NN a|DT semester|NN for|IN up|IN to|IN four|CD semesters|NNS --|: a|DT typical|JJ class|NN is|VBZ worth|JJ one|CD unit|NN ,|, and|CC a|DT typical|JJ physical|JJ education|NN course|NN of|IN any|DT level|NN is|VBZ worth|JJ half|PDT a|DT unit|NN ,|, with|IN a|DT maximum|NN of|IN two|CD physical|JJ education|NN units|NNS counting|VBG toward|IN graduation|NN requirements|NNS .|. 
It|PRP seems|VBZ justified|JJ :|: Students|NNS can|MD receive|VB credit|NN for|IN participating|VBG in|IN other|JJ extracurricular|JJ ,|, faculty-supervised|JJ activities|NNS ,|, such|JJ as|IN the|DT orchestra|NN ,|, the|DT choir|NN ,|, and|CC the|DT repertory|NN dance|NN theatre|FW ,|, so|RB why|WRB not|RB varsity|JJ athletics|NNS ?|. 

My|PRP$ friend|NN over|IN at|IN Carolyn|NNP Blogs|NNP agrees|VBZ :|: from|IN the|DT above|JJ standpoint|NN ,|, sure|UH ,|, it|PRP seems|VBZ fair|JJ to|TO give|VB credit|NN to|IN students|NNS .|. 
If|IN you|PRP get|VBP credit|NN for|IN introductory|JJ P.E.|NNP classes|NNS ,|, you|PRP should|MD get|VB credit|NN for|IN varsity|JJ athletics|NNS .|. 
But|CC our|PRP$ school|NN newspaper|NN presents|VBZ other|JJ arguments|NNS in|IN favor|NN ,|, which|WDT Carolyn|NNP thinks|VBZ are|VBP highly|RB unjustified|JJ :|: 

On|IN top|NN of|IN everything|NN ,|, we|PRP must|MD remember|VB that|IN varsity|JJ athletics|NNS present|VBP a|DT considerable|JJ time|NN commitment|NN .|. 
It|PRP is|VBZ rare|JJ to|TO find|VB another|DT activity|NN on|IN campus|NN —|: academic|JJ or|CC extracurricular|JJ —|: that|WDT includes|VBZ a|DT comparable|JJ daily|JJ rigor|NN and|CC frequent|JJ overnight|JJ obligation|NN .|. 
Varsity|JJ athletes|NNS regularly|RB travel|VBP throughout|IN the|DT northeastern|JJ to|TO participate|VB in|IN meets|NNS ,|, games|NNS and|CC tournaments|NNS ,|, often|RB gone|VBN from|IN campus|NN for|IN an|DT entire|JJ weekend|NN at|IN a|DT time|NN .|. 

And|CC you|PRP know|VBP what|WP ?|. 
Although|IN it|PRP 's|VBZ certainly|RB frustrating|JJ to|TO travel|VB to|IN Boston|NNP for|IN an|DT all-day|JJ competition|NN on|IN the|DT same|JJ weekend|NN as|IN a|DT good|JJ friend|NN 's|POS birthday|NN party|NN ,|, a|DT fascinating|JJ -|: sounding|VBG lecture|NN ,|, a|DT dance|NN party|NN ,|, and|CC seventeen|CD other|JJ campus|NN events|NNS no|DT one|PRP in|IN their|PRP$ right|JJ mind|NN would|MD ever|RB want|VB to|TO miss|VB ,|, I|PRP agree|VBP with|IN Carolyn|NNP .|. 
The|DT reason|NN I|PRP participate|VBP in|IN my|PRP$ sport|NN is|VBZ because|IN I|PRP enjoy|VBP it|PRP .|. 
If|IN I|PRP cared|VBD more|JJR about|IN other|JJ activities|NNS ,|, I|PRP 'd|MD do|VB those|DT instead|RB .|. 
Simply|RB being|VBG a|DT huge|JJ time|NN commitment|NN is|VBZ not|RB a|DT valid|JJ reason|NN for|IN awarding|VBG credit|NN .|. 
Carolyn|NNP 's|POS supporting|JJ example|NN ,|, that|IN higher|JJR level|NN courses|NNS with|IN more|RBR difficult|JJ and|CC plentiful|JJ homework|NN are|VBP worth|JJ the|DT same|JJ amount|NN of|IN credit|NN as|IN introductory|JJ 100-level|JJ courses|NNS ,|, drives|VBZ this|DT point|NN home|NN .|. 
And|CC she|PRP 's|VBZ backed|VBN up|RP by|IN our|PRP$ school|NN 's|POS system|NN of|IN awarding|VBG units|NNS instead|RB of|IN credit|NN hours|NNS :|: 

This|DT system|NN —|: which|WDT in|IN its|PRP$ most|RBS basic|JJ form|NN allots|VBZ one|CD unit|NN of|IN credit|NN per|IN semester|NN course|NN ,|, regardless|RB of|IN difficulty|NN ,|, hours|NNS in|IN class|NN and|CC subject|JJ matter|NN —|: makes|VBZ Vassar|NNP relatively|RB unique|JJ in|IN its|PRP$ credit|NN system|NN .|. 

According|VBG to|IN Registrar|NNP Dan|NNP Giannini|NNP ,|, “|NN The|DT rationale|NN behind|IN such|JJ a|DT system|NN is|VBZ to|TO try|VB to|TO send|VB the|DT message|NN that|IN all|DT courses|NNS are|VBP equal|JJ in|IN worth|NN and|CC that|IN one|CD should|MD n’t|RB try|NN to|TO distinguish|VB between|IN courses|NNS based|VBN on|IN time|NN spent|VBN in|IN or|CC out|IN of|IN class|NN .|. ”|NN 

The|DT reason|NN time|NN commitment|NN is|VBZ highlighted|VBN is|VBZ because|IN ,|, according|VBG to|IN the|DT authors|NNS of|IN the|DT article|NN ,|, the|DT faculty|NN "|'' must|MD consider|VB what|WP it|PRP can|MD do|VB to|TO mitigate|VB possible|JJ academic|JJ pressures|NNS on|IN these|DT students|NNS .|. "|'' 
Um|UH .|. 
No|UH ,|, I|PRP do|VBP n't|RB think|VB the|DT faculty|NN has|VBZ any|DT obligation|NN whatsoever|RB .|. 
Students|NNS choose|VBP to|TO be|VB varsity|JJ athletes|NNS of|IN their|PRP$ own|JJ accord|NN .|. 
If|IN they|PRP ca|MD n't|RB manage|VB to|TO balance|VB their|PRP$ athletics|NNS and|CC their|PRP$ coursework|NN ,|, then|RB perhaps|RB they|PRP should|MD reconsider|VB participating|VBG in|IN a|DT varsity|JJ sport|NN in|IN the|DT first|JJ place|NN .|. 
Athletes|NNP should|MD n't|RB get|VB special|JJ privileges|NNS simply|RB because|IN they|PRP 're|VBP athletes|NNS .|. 

Personally|RB ,|, I|PRP like|VBP the|DT fact|NN that|IN even|RB though|IN I|PRP dedicate|NN huge|JJ chunks|NNS of|IN time|NN to|IN my|PRP$ sport|NN (|( more|JJR time|NN than|IN I|PRP dedicate|VBP to|IN any|DT single|JJ course|NN ,|, at|IN least|JJS while|IN in|IN -|: season|NN )|) ,|, I|PRP can|MD still|RB keep|VB up|RP with|IN my|PRP$ classmates|NNS who|WP are|VBP taking|VBG comparable|JJ course|NN loads|NNS ,|, minus|CC the|DT sport|NN .|. 
Sacrifices|NNS must|MD be|VB made|VBN ,|, sure|UH :|: Dance|NN party|NN on|IN Friday|NNP night|NN ,|, or|CC overnight|JJ travel|NN to|IN a|DT competition|NN ?|. 

The|DT question|NN is|VBZ ,|, what|WP 's|VBZ more|RBR important|JJ to|IN me|PRP ?|. 

You|PRP learn|VBP stuff|NN ,|, too|RB 

The|DT article|NN continues|VBZ :|: 

While|IN athletes|NNS will|MD continue|VB to|TO be|VB held|VBN to|TO the|DT College|NNP ’s|POS rigorous|JJ academic|JJ standards|NNS ,|, the|DT athletics|NNS credit|VBP could|MD discourage|VB a|DT varsity|JJ athlete|NN from|IN unnecessarily|RB taking|VBG on|RP five|CD academic|JJ credits|NNS while|IN in|IN their|PRP$ athletic|JJ season|NN .|. 

With|IN the|DT proposed|JJ varsity|NN credit|NN ,|, the|DT athlete|NN seeking|VBG to|TO assume|VB five|CD courses|NNS in|IN his|PRP$ or|CC her|PRP$ athletic|JJ season|NN will|MD be|VB checked|VBN with|IN an|DT overload|NN form|NN ,|, thus|RB encouraging|VBG the|DT student|NN to|TO think|VB twice|RB about|IN assuming|VBG such|JJ a|DT large|JJ academic|JJ and|CC extracurricular|JJ load|NN .|. 

I|PRP 'd|MD like|VB to|TO be|VB known|VBN that|IN students|NNS who|WP have|VBP trouble|NN balancing|VBG tough|JJ course|NN loads|NNS and|CC time|NN -|: consuming|VBG extracurriculars|NNS have|VBP always|RB had|VBN the|DT option|NN of|IN taking|VBG a|DT lighter|JJR load|NN or|CC dropping|VBG an|DT extracurricular|JJ .|. 
Adding|VBG the|DT option|NN of|IN a|DT varsity|JJ unit|NN to|IN the|DT list|NN does|VBZ n't|RB make|VB much|JJ of|IN a|DT difference|NN .|. 
Students|NNS who|WP are|VBP n't|RB varsity|JJ athletes|NNS could|MD add|VB an|DT easy|JJ P.E.|NNP course|NN instead|RB .|. 
Students|NNS who|WP can|MD balance|VB their|PRP$ work|NN and|CC their|PRP$ sport|NN will|MD continue|VB to|TO do|VB so|RB .|. 
And|CC let|VBP it|PRP be|VB known|VBN ,|, varsity|JJ athletes|NNS do|VBP n't|RB have|VB to|TO take|VB a|DT half|JJ unit|NN for|IN their|PRP$ sport|NN ...|. thus|RB negating|VBG the|DT need|NN for|IN an|DT overload|NN form|NN if|IN taking|VBG five|CD courses|NNS .|. 

Carolyn|NNP says|VBZ ,|, in|IN response|NN to|IN the|DT above|JJ quote|NN ,|, that|IN "|'' participating|VBG in|IN sports|NNS is|VBZ optional|JJ ,|, and|CC should|MD always|RB take|VB second|JJ place|NN to|IN academics|NNS .|. "|'' 
True|JJ ,|, mostly|RB .|. 
Academics|NNS are|VBP officially|RB what|WP college|NN is|VBZ about|IN .|. 
Academics|NNS are|VBP what|WP get|VB graded|VBN .|. 
Students|NNS '|POS GPAs|NNPS will|MD ,|, in|IN part|NN ,|, determine|VB what|WP they|PRP are|VBP able|JJ to|TO do|VB with|IN their|PRP$ lives|NNS .|. 
But|CC academics|NNS are|VBP only|RB one|CD particular|JJ kind|NN of|IN knowledge|NN .|. 
Carolyn|NNP 's|POS statement|NN assumes|VBZ that|IN a|DT student|NN can|MD learn|VB more|RBR important|JJ things|NNS from|IN academics|NNS than|IN from|IN participation|NN on|IN a|DT sports|NNS team|NN .|. 
Personally|RB ,|, though|RB ,|, some|DT of|IN the|DT most|RBS important|JJ things|NNS I|PRP 've|VBP learned|VBN about|IN persistence|NN ,|, goal|NN -|: setting|VBG ,|, success|NN and|CC excellence|NN ,|, effort|NN ,|, teamwork|NN ,|, leadership|NN .|. ...|... these|DT I|PRP 've|VBP learned|VBN from|IN my|PRP$ sport|NN and|CC my|PRP$ coaches|NNS .|. 
It|PRP 's|VBZ a|DT different|JJ kind|NN of|IN knowledge|NN than|IN what|WP one|PRP typically|RB gains|VBZ in|IN an|DT academic|JJ course|NN ,|, yes|UH .|. 
But|CC it|PRP 's|VBZ no|DT less|RBR important|JJ .|. 
And|CC that|DT ,|, I|PRP think|VBP ,|, is|VBZ the|DT best|JJS reason|NN for|IN awarding|VBG credit|NN for|IN varsity|JJ athletics|NNS .|. 

