Tangled in a Complex Web of Relationships: Athletic/Academic Advisors Negotiating Privacy Disclosure Warnings With College Student-Athletes

Abstract

To investigate privacy management in the relationship between athletic/academic advisors and college student-athletes, I interviewed 37 advisors to address the following questions: What type of privacy rules do student-athletes communicate to advisors? How do advisors manage student-athletes' private information following these rules? Participants represented 21 different institutions of the 4 NCAA division levels and 10 separate athletic conferences. Findings indicate that student-athletes communicated disclosure warnings regarding academic, athletic, and personal matters, requesting that advisors not inform coaches, parents, and athletic administrative personnel about certain information. In a perpetual balancing act, advisors become entangled in a complex web of relationships with coaches, parents, student-athletes, and others. Practical applications for advisors, along with directions for future research, are considered.