Auburn Saved Public Administration Program So Athlete Graduation Rates Wouldn't Decrease According to Report
Auburn was going to get rid of an unpopular undergraduate major in 2013, but was overruled by the athletics department. It seems Auburn’s athletes love Public Administration. According to the Wall Street Journal:
"“more than half of the roughly 100 students majoring in public administration were athletes, records show, including nearly all of the top stars on the Auburn football team”"
An internal athletic department memo worried that the elimination of the program would likely mean a decline in graduation rate for student-athletes. People in the athletic department even offered their funds to help pay for the program.
2015 NFL Draft picks Sammie Coates and Gabe Wright were both public administration majors. 2014 Auburn draft picks Dee Ford, Kenneth Carter, Greg Robinson and Tre Mason were all public administration majors. The Tigers only two draft picks in 2013 (Corey Lemonier) and 2012 (Brandon Mosley) were both public administration majors.
In case you were wondering, 2011 first round picks Cam Newton (sociology) and Nick Fairley (philosophy) were not public administration majors.