Mitch Daniels Talks Academic-Athletic “Balance” At Purdue

New Purdue President Mitch Daniels spoke today about finding – or, as he expects, keeping – a delicate balance between athletics and academics when he takes over at Purdue in January.

The recent Penn State scandal and ensuing sanctions have brought plenty of attention to schools putting athletics before academics. Daniels (accurately) says Purdue already puts academics first, though he hasn’t had time to delve into the Penn State sanctions and won’t comment on if they were just.

Daniels said Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke has already given him some reading to do on the Purdue athletic department and NCAA athletic departments nation-wide, however according to the WIBC report Daniels says he is more focused on the goal of aligning good education with tuition costs.

Daniels didn’t appear to be asked if he would keep any of the Big Ten Network money Purdue gets for academics, which current President France Cordova has irritated many fans by doing, but did say:

"“They have very firm principles that they live by. They have an athletic department that pays for itself, and occasionally supports the academic enterprise, and that’s important.”"

In other words, I don’t expect him to change Cordova’s policy on that matter.

(via @Purdue_Rant and WIBC)