Anyone smart enough to be a junior or senior in college is smart enough to know that student-athlete financial aid that covers the actual cost of their required course-related books is for their personal use only.

For Paul Bubb, University of Maine interim athletic director, to state that “We have to do a better job of making certain that our student athletes know what is acceptable and what is not” is ludicrous. Why should the university take the blame? These student athletes have thoughtlessly committed infractions that will have a negative effect not only for themselves, but also for UMaine basketball fans, the athletic department, teammates and the season standings of the teams themselves.

Some things, though perhaps unstated specifically, should nonetheless be obvious and understood by those of reasonable intelligence and good character. Procuring books for someone else under a personal financial aid agreement should have been one of those things. Bubb need not apologize to UM basketball fans – the students should.

Sue Shaw

Penobscot