Is it morally right to spend so much money on the basketball program (estimated 1.3 million on the chartered flight to China), knowing the high cost of Duke's tuition and other products and food available on campus? Should we leave the lavish treatment of the players to the NBA after they graduate?
It is no secret how much Duke spends on its basketball program. It should, however, be clear that the majority of the money spent comes from Duke alumni and basketball fans. It should also be noted that Duke's basketball program brings in more profit than it loses for the university.
Nevertheless, I cannot help feeling uneasy hearing how much Duke spent on its recent tour. Maybe it is because my parents work longer hours with less time off because we fall into that 'no man's land' of middle class citizens that are "too rich" for financial aid but "too poor" to pay the tuition. Maybe it is because I have to pay at least seven dollars to get a healthy, filling lunch. Or, maybe it is because my upbringing has trained me to find the cheapest, most effective way to purchase something.
Can you blame me for cringing when I hear that $1.3 million have been spent for travel alone? Especially with the knowledge that a commercial round trip ticket for the trip costs about $3,000 per person.
Don't get me wrong; I absolutely adore being a Cameron Crazie, and the Duke basketball program was one of the main reasons I came to Duke. I fully understand how much it costs to run a college basketball program as world-renowned as Duke's. But still, it is hard to believe that the generous alumni were adamant about their hard earned money going towards a chartered flight in particular.
The team's status would not suddenly dip if they had decided to take a commercial flight. Crazy towel guy would still swing his towel around, and alumni would still throw their cash at Coach K, just as before. The difference is that Duke would save extra money to give to research, school programming and even to donate to philanthropies. Duke would also leave less of a carbon footprint and follow their motto 'bleed blue, live green.'
Go ahead Coach K, spend your alumni's money on all the things your team needs to play a great season and fill the stands. But perhaps first ask yourself, does your team really NEED the celebrity treatment?
The Duke Ethicist is a project of the Honor Council which responds to ethical questions posed by the Duke community. Our purpose is to provide a medium through which students may anonymously seek advice or spark dialogue. Got a question? Send it to dukeethicist@gmail.com, and look out for a response on our blog.
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