On the adjacent page, Scott S. Cowen, president of Tulane University, raises crucial questions about whether the mission of America's colleges and universities is in conflict with the desire to have big-time sports programs. It's an issue that has particular relevance at California State University, Fresno, where the basketball program is being investigated on a variety of possible violations, and some minor sports have been eliminated because of budget cuts.

On a national level, it's a world where priorities often seem backward, with players being called "student-athletes," even though graduation rates in major sports are dismal, and the academic goal seems only to be keeping players eligible to play. Athletic budgets chew up every dollar that can be raised, and coaches still complain that their programs are under-funded.

It seems that a community and a university can never raise enough money to quench the thirst of fielding big-time college athletic programs.

Just last week, Fresno State football coach Pat Hill said his fund-raising pace has left him exhausted, and he needs help so the program can reach the next level of competition. He suggested that Fresno State football will be relegated to mediocrity unless more money can be raised to upgrade the program and its facilities.

The questions that must be answered are whether it's worth it for universities to commit the resources needed to make their football and basketball programs among the nation's elite, and how that affects the academic mission of the universities.

Cowen, in a commentary originally written for the New York Times, says his board has concluded that intercollegiate athletics "is increasingly out of sync with the goals and values of America's higher education institutions." Cowen said there's pressure on schools that aren't part of the high-paying Bowl Championship Series alliance to do whatever it takes to compete.

"For the have-nots to succeed, too often academics must take a back seat to fund additional spending for athletics programs, coaches and facilities," Cowen wrote. "And institutions are continuously cutting Olympic sports to support football and are sending mixed messages as a result."

Cowen praises a proposal by NCAA President Myles Brand to establish "incentives and disincentives" for playing in the postseason based on the academic records of athletes. But he adds that the NCAA continues to enact costly legislation and requirements to compete on the Division I-A level.

Cowen has invited university presidents to challenge the "current system of intercollegiate athletics in this country," and said Brand has agreed to join the discussion in a teleconference scheduled for July 22.

Fresno State, which is struggling with these difficult issues daily, should be involved in this important debate.

There's too much at stake to accept the status quo, which may bankrupt not only the budgets, but the academic values of universities across the country.