UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — When should college recruiting start? To what extent should recruiting practices be regulated? When it comes to college sports, these questions can spark controversy and require voices of experience, as well as ethical reasoning, to debate.
Two experts who have knowledge and experience in athletic recruiting and ethics, will be speaking this month at Science on Tap, which will take place on April 17 at 7 p.m. at Liberty Craft House in downtown State College.
Russ Rose, coach of the women’s Penn State volleyball team for almost 40 years, has led the team to success repeatedly. Coach Rose will talk about his experience and involvement in athletic recruiting. Professor Lopez Frias, assistant professor of kinesiology, who specializes in sports ethics and philosophy of sport, will provide an analysis of recruiting practices by drawing on ethical theories of sports and college athletics.
The event is part of the monthly Science on Tap series, which is designed to allow informal discussions between leading Penn State researchers and members of the general public.
Science on Tap is presented by the Science Policy Society. The society is a graduate student-run organization that aims to teach researchers about the connection between their research and public policy, with a dedicated focus on science advocacy.
Yasina Somani, a doctoral student in kinesiology and Science on Tap organizer, said the group is hoping that the State College community participates in a productive and insightful debate.
"When I arrived in State College from Canada, I was blown away by how tied in college sports are to Penn State’s identity. These athletes provide the surrounding area with a unified sense of community”, said Somani. “But we must also consider the ethical concerns of recruiting and its influence on athletes’ decisions”
For more information, visit the society’s website at: http://sites.psu.edu/psusciencepolicy. Attendees are reminded that they must be 21 years of age, or older, to attend.