30 of 65 Power 5 Schools Wouldn't Disclose COVID-19 Statistics in ESPN Survey

In an ESPN survey seeking transparency on COVID-19 protocols and data within athletic departments, 30 of the 65 schools that make up the Power 5 conferences declined to share data on the number of positive tests within their programs so far.

ESPN's Paula Lavigne and Mark Schlabach reached out to each athletic department in the Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, SEC and Pac-12 in an effort to learn more about the spread of the coronavirus within college sports. The survey featured nine questions "pertaining to testing volume, the number of positive results, hospitalizations and whether any athletes had tested positive for post-COVID-19 heart conditions."

Only 10 of the schools responded to all nine questions. Among the athletic departments that declined, 21 are members of the ACC, SEC and Big 12—three conferences forging ahead with fall sports. 

Per Lavigne and Schlabach:

"Among the questions ESPN asked school administrators were how many tests have been administered since the school started testing athletes; how many athletes have tested positive; what protocols the department has in place once an athlete tests positive; how many athletes have heart-related issues due to the coronavirus; and whether the school shares data with government health officials."

Wisconsin, which has postponed fall sports, was one of the few universities to respond to every question on the survey and explained to ESPN the importance of doing so.

"We just felt as an athletic department that we wanted to be transparent," Athletic Director Barry Alvarez said. "We want our student-athletes and staff to know that we're thorough, and we're going to do a thorough job and that we take their health and well-being seriously. I want their parents to feel comfortable that we're doing everything we possibly can."

Clemson, Iowa State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon State and Stanford joined Wisconsin in answering all questions on the survey. Only Clemson, Iowa State, Missouri and Oklahoma are scheduled to proceed with fall sports.

According to ESPN, many of the schools that declined to respond cited federal student privacy laws and confidentiality considerations, though legal experts told Lavigne and Schlabach those laws don't necessarily apply given the reporters were looking to source data, not names of students who may have tested positive. 

Both the NCAA and each Power 5 conference allow its members to determine if and how to release testing data. 

Frank LoMonte, director of the Brechner Center for Freedom of Information, told ESPN there's "no way" to reverse engineer the names of students who test positive and notes schools "routinely" ask athletes to sign medical waivers allowing teams to disclose information about injuries and other ailments. 

Natalie Dean, a biostatistician and assistant professor at the University of Florida College of Public Health & Health Professions, told Lavigne and Schlabach the data could be vital in learning more about the spread of COVID-19, its long-term effects and how to best protect the public at large.

She also understands why some schools wouldn't want to share that information. 

"Places worry that they're going to be on the front page of the news. That discourages them from being transparent," Dean said. "But that's putting those patrons and employees and athletes at an elevated risk."