Mark Schlissel, president at the University of Michigan (UM), expressed concern recently that athletics had become more important at his institution than academics.

According to the Michigan Daily News, Schlissel spoke for 40 minutes at the school's Regents Room of the Fleming Administration Building on the topic of the athletic department's future. The newspaper described the address as "candid" and it came about a week after Dave Brandon resigned as athletic director.

In the wake of Brandon's exit, Schlissel has tried to put more importance on academics in his search for a permanent replacement. While Michigan has a storied football program that is struggling this year, Schlissel said more emphasis should be placed on a recruit's academic qualifications.

"We admit students who aren't as qualified, and it's probably the kids that we admit that can't honestly, even with lots of help, do the amount of work and the quality of work it takes to make progression from year to year," he said. "These past two years have gotten better, but before that, the graduation rates were terrible, with football somewhere in the 50s and 60s when our total six-year rate at the University is somewhere near 90 percent, so that's a challenge."

He expressed concern about the University of North Carolina (UNC) - Chapel Hill, a school that has a respected athletic department and is reeling from a massive academic fraud scandal. UM is currently trying to nip a potential academic scandal in the bud, as English Prof. Anne Curzan has been serving as a faculty mediator with the athletic department.

She receives reports every semester regarding any independent study course a single student-athlete may be taking as well as classes with 20 percent or more of the enrollees being student-athletes. In his address, Schlissel said Curzan is not in the know with the athletic department any more than she has to be.

"That's why I'm taking a bit of time with the search for Dave's successor," Schlissel said. "Some folks wanted me to hire an athletic director (earlier) so he could fire the current football coach and hire the next coach but I want to take the time to make sure we get someone who is not only technically adept, but can ensure that the program has financial and academic integrity, and also someone who shares the value system of realizing our mission."

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