Gregg Easterbrook

In the following viewpoint, Gregg Easterbrook argues that paying college athletes will not improve the quality of education given to many of these students and that offering the athletes additional years on a scholarship would be the better solution. He contends that many of these athletes do not realize until late in their college years that they need an education and could use the extra years to finish their studies. Easterbrook acknowledges that this solution is costly but asserts that it also gives universities the incentive to better educate their athletes. Easterbrook has written for magazines such as the New Republic, the Atlantic Monthly, and U.S. News & World Report and is the author of several books.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Easterbrook, how do overall graduation rates compare between athletes and...