BooneThink

The 21st century represents a new way to think about exercise physiology. Outside the influence of sports medicine and exercise science, it can be viewed as a health care profession. After all, exercise is medicine! Yet, in a world filled with useless academic degrees like exercise science and human performance, there is a huge need for administrative responsibility. That means the department chairs and deans must do the work exercise physiologists on faculty cannot or will not do. But, who is going to jump-start that kind of thinking? For one thing, most academic EPs are too caught up in their own agenda to see exercise science for what is it — “A non-career driven degree.” That is the bottom line. The truth is the truth. Be annoyed, upset, mad, or whatever, but the truth is still just that.

Why the college EPs haven’t figured out that not all graduates with the BS degree are going on to graduate school is beyond me. Clearly, the idea to attend college, especially the parent’s point of view, is to get a job. It is not about staying in college forever because the degrees are essentially useless. Hello, wake up American! Frankly, in my opinion, many graduates of these problems have sufficient legal platform to take the colleges/universities to court to get their tuition money returned to them. That is my take on it. The cost of cleaning up the mess is hard work. And, it begins with the decision to take matters into one’s own hands. Students, in effect, are like stockholders who have a legal right to a certain piece of the corporate funds. In this case, when students graduate, their “financial return” or pension so to speak is the job they have been led to believe exists. Get what folks, there are no jobs in the public sector for exercise science majors.

It seems to me that academic gatekeepers need to experience a transformation from research greed (i.e., it is all about me) to an enlightened perspective and support for their students. The reality of course is that it is not likely going to happen through the efforts of professors. It will have to pushed upon them. Students, the power is in your hands. You have the power to change how professors think about exercise science vs. exercise physiology, the undergraduate degree vs. graduate degrees, and (in essence) the power of accountability and credibility through professional certification (such as the American Society of Exercise Physiologists Board Certification) vs. personal trainer certificates. You have the power to transform the idea that colleges and universities exist for the faculty. Who are you? You are the students! The university academic degrees for YOU, and the faculty members are hired to teach, mentor, and prepare YOU. The faculty works for YOU, but of course you understand this (given that you pay for the product).

I could go on and on. But my point is this: There are an awful lot of YOU. Many more students exist in the public institutions than faculty. All you need to do is start asking questions, seek clarification in degree programs and career opportunities that are real and respected and, yes, all you need to do is COME TOGETHER IN UNIFIED VOICE. As consumers, you are buying the products, you have the right to those products, your education, to return a viable job in society. I would also add, while it is true that not all students are interested in immediate work, most students go to college to invest in a career of interest, respect, and credibility. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. The future lies in your decision and your power to change what is to what should be. Yours is a kind of power that is awesome, so why not value your time in college now so that later the results will be exactly that which you hope for. Be persistent, stay the course, and let your heart create the magic of change.