A Little Extra Is Worth the Price

Hats off to Mike Downey for his column, “Removing the Pain From Hitting the Books” (March 17), regarding the J.R. Rider/UNLV fiasco. Downey’s article should be required reading for every college president, athletic director, coach, academic adviser, blue-chip high school recruit and his/her parents before that recruit signs a letter of intent.

The real questions are:

1. How many more college teachers are out there like Vicki Bertolino, who have been pressured into giving college athletes passing grades for course work they never completed so that the athletes could remain eligible to play?

2. How many college presidents, athletic directors, coaches and win-at-all-costs alumni would want to have the answer to Question 1 made public regarding their institutions of higher education?

LEONARD LIPTON

Santa Monica