Model of Integrity

Fellow Southern Conference member Davidson College stated that intercollegiate athletics provided “unrivaled opportunities for moral training in honesty, fair play, truthfulness, respect for others, cooperation, true sportsmanship, and fair dealings.”  The NC State Athletic Council clearly cared about the truthfulness and fair dealings of those running their athletic programs, as much of the controversy around athletic director Ray Sermon questioned his integrity and competence in financial transactions.

Former football player Howard Bardes questioned Anderson’s integrity in his accusation of Anderson showing favoritism among the players.  While this relates to his alleged inability to unite and lead the players, it also points to an inability to show honor and integrity in equal treatment of the players.  Student leaders stated that Anderson put pressure on the Student Council to absolve accused football players of academic misconduct so that they would pass their courses, which reflected poorly on the coach’s regard for academic integrity and did not set a positive example for the players.  If a coach did not have the proper values and integrity, he would perhaps not be able to effectively lead and teach his players to become honest, upstanding gentlemen.  Thus students expected their coaches to be honest and fair in all their dealings, and the university staff and faculty likewise expected these representatives of the school to have integrity in their financial dealings.

Visit other Exhibits in the Under Review: The Anderson-Sermon Controversy and Football's Role on the College Campus.