<p>My personal view is that the PL schools have to protect and enhance the football programs with scholarships. Here is why:</p>
<p>In addition to what’s been mentioned above, I would add that the PL league in football is small and simply cannot remain viable with the departure of Fordham. They would take to the road if their ambitions are thwarted. I do not know of another candidate ready to take their place.</p>
<p>Next, scholarships enable the PL schools to attract an entire set of applicants who are “middle class” and so either cannot get financial aid under current programs or who can pay for it anyway but would like some monetary incentive. (This plays well at our non-Ivy competitors, doesn’t it?) </p>
<p>Also, improving the programs won’t necessarily cost anything although I recognize that this question has to be considered by each school independently. If more money needs to be added to other sports such as women’s sports to ensure balance, it’s high time to do it. This has to be analyzed and hopefully the phase in of scholarships will be manageable everywhere. </p>
<p>And lastly, would it not be great to play up a level and face Army and Navy on occasion? They too have a vote on this question (as does American) and I hope that they support scholarships for the league in football even though it won’t impact them directly.</p>
<p>I am not a Lafayette alumnus but I would like to think that if I were a big supporter of football in the past I would be included in assessing how this can work and then help with the fundraising side of things to ensure that it does!</p>