THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2002
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Bob Timmons stands next to a bronze sculpture of track legend Jim Ryun. The sculpture was crafted from a Timmons' drawing of Ryun winning the 1,500 meters at the Olympic Qualifying meet in Eugene, Ore., in 1972.
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN
Former KU track coach promotes change for student athletes
After 30 years of voicing his opinions to the NCAA, Bob Timmons, former track coach at the University of Kansas, has sent a proposal to college presidents. It's a bill of rights for student athletes. The bill of rights is designed to protect student athletes, who Timmons said had no voice in NCAA decisions.
Timmons' 64-page proposal explains to the presidents of NCAA member institutions what Timmons thinks are injustices to innocent student athletes. The bill of rights covers a large range of issues from athletic opportunity to safety.
By Jay Pilgreen Kansan staff writer
Though Timmons said every right he proposed was equal in importance, some addressed more unjust issues than others.
Foremost among these issues is a well-intentioned law that Timmons sees as detrimental to some student athletes. Timmons said men's non-revenue sports had been canceled at many schools because of misinterpretations of Title IX, which stated that the level of opportunity for men and women student athletes had to be proportionate to the institution's enrollment.
Timmons said that while the 1972 educational amendment had aided women in the past, it limited male student athletes' opportunities because presidents would cancel men's athletic programs to remain compliant with the amendment.
Timmons said the NCAA was guilty of other injustices, especially the philosophy of group punishment used by the NCAA. He said though all student athletes were required to follow NCAA rules, innocent student athletes should not be punished for wrongdoings by other members of the team or institution.
Timmons said athletes who were capable should be given the opportunity to compete men and women. He said the NCAA was not guilty of
The University experienced such a cut in March 2001, when former athletics director Bob Frederick cut the men's swimming, diving and tennis teams.
The largest misdeed to student athletes is the inability to compete in postseason competition when they have done nothing wrong, Timmons said. He said the NCAA had previously banned all sports from postseason play at some universities for infractions committed by one sport.
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