Whenever large scale athletics are integrated into an academic environment such as they are at Iowa State with the competition of its teams in the newly-amended Big 12 Conference, a seemingly endless stream of rumors, fallacies and out-and-out lies begins to spread among the students of that institution. Stories of athletic tutors taking tests for student-athletes in order to maintain eligibility, rumors of the purchase of vehicles for the members of winning teams and, of course, the constant banter about scholarship money. It is also largely assumed that the life of a student-athlete is one of luxury and pampering for which they do little in return. We who live that life can tell you otherwise, but we can also appreciate how it could seem that way to the outside eye.

In this new column, which the Daily has been so gracious to let the Student Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) experiment with, we plan to dispell some of these rumors that have paved the way for a sort of widespread resentment. We ask that students send any questions and/or points of interest relating to athletics and athletes to the Daily, and each week your questions will be answered in this column by myself or any of a number of other student-athletes and/or athletic staff members. Second only to our education, we are here to compete for you and to represent Iowa State University. We welcome your input and hope to open the lines of communication that have for so long been downed by uninvestigated misinformation. Thanks, and we’ll see you on the fields and courts, in the pool, on the beams and bars and in the classroom!

— Lauren Muser

co-chair, SAAB