Stanford University Accused of Giving Easy Class List to Athletes

Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh, second from right, blows a bubble as he watches his team practice at Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla., Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010. (AP)

Stanford University allegedly offered a list of easy classes to student-athletes, according to the Stanford Daily.

The college newspaper reports it was a closely guarded list only offered to Stanford athletes and not the rest of the student body.

"It's definitely not going to be a hard class if it's coming off that list," sophomore women's volleyball player Karissa Cook told the paper.

Some of the courses identified on the list were "Beginning Improvising," "Social Dances of North America III" and "Interpersonal Relations."

Stanford athletes have been known to ask for the list from the Athletic Academic Resource Center, despite the "courses of interest" list not being posted on its website. Advisers in other college departments tell the paper they didn't know such a list existed.

A spokesman for the athletics department claims the classes are no pushover.

"An objective evaluation of the courses included on the list reveals several courses that most students would consider to be academically rigorous," Austin Lee, director of academic services at the Athletic Academic Resource Center, told the Stanford Daily.

Some university professors say athletes are treated differently than your average student.

"(Stanford) accommodates athletes in the manner that they accommodate students with disabilities," professor Donald Barr told the paper.

The list -- which had existed since at least 2001 -- was discontinued last week after student reporters began asking questions about it.