Sports: Committed to the Patriot League and Division 1

The Patriot League Council of Presidents announced Dec. 15 that after extensive discussions they had elected to table a decision on adjusting financial aid in football, the only sport for which league policy stipulates that grants be offered exclusively on the basis of demonstrated financial need, “pending additional deliberations related to the league’s strategic direction.” They discussed “various financial aid models and they recognized and evaluated the benefits as well as the potential costs associated with merit aid for football,” their statement said, and “expressed their commitment to the stability and long-term positioning of the league.”

President Daniel H. Weiss said he remains committed to the Patriot League and to sports at the Division I level in a statement prepared for the January meeting of the College’s Board of Trustees.

“The Patriot League requires — appropriately, in my view — that its oversight be the responsibility of the schools’ presidents. We take this charge seriously and work collegially and productively to fulfill our mutual goals. Most recently, as most of you know, the Council of Presidents voted to table for two years the proposal that merit scholarships be awarded in football. . . . While I fully accept the fact that reasonable people can disagree about the merits of the outcome, it is important that everyone understand that the league presidents studied the issue thoughtfully and thoroughly before reaching their decision. After considerable discussion, we took the step that we regarded as the best means of achieving our ultimate objective: to ensure the league’s long-term strength, competitiveness, and quality,” Weiss said.

“Whereas I do not know what the future holds, I believe that Lafayette is enormously fortunate to belong to the Patriot League. I remain steadfast in my commitment to the league and to the College’s continued involvement in intercollegiate sports at the Division I level, and I look forward to working closely with the other presidents as we continue to advance our shared vision.”

A charter member of the Patriot League, Lafayette has won six league titles in football (most recently in 2004, 2005, and 2006) and has been ranked in the top 25 nationally in six of the last seven seasons.