Lax attitude won't nuke Duke's repute.

• Author: Roush, Chris
• Position: Duke University

It's too early to tell if the Duke University lacrosse players accused of raping a stripper will have any impact on donations to the school, student applications, faculty recruitment and the like. But some experts think the economic effects of the incident may not last long.

Although sports scandals have damaged the reputations of some colleges, the negative results have been usually short-lived. "The Duke lacrosse team has badly hurt the image of the university," says Richard Lapchick, chair of the University of Central Florida's DeVos Sport Business Management Program. "However, once the case is settled, I do not believe there will be a long-term impact on enrollment and donations."

Lapchick says that even spectacular sports successes rarely help colleges with recruiting and fund-raising over the long haul. "Many thought Doug Flutie's Hail Mary pass was a boon for both, but no sports incident has had that positive sustained effect. The same is likely to be true here on the negative side. Duke's brand has been built over too long a period of time. Temporary hurt, yes. Long-term, no."

Duke is a significant factor in North Carolina's economy. With a work force of 36,000, including hospital operations, it is the state's third-largest private employer, behind Wal-Mart and Food Lion. Its annual budget is about $3 billion.

Major...