Image: The rapid rise in popularity and monetization of Esports (virtual simulations of sports, competitive games, and military operations) in American culture is drawing the attention of higher education leaders. Welch Suggs (PhD), Jennifer May-Trifiletti (PhD student), Jim Hearn, and Julianne O'Connell (PhD student) prepared a research brief for the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) that highlights potential benefits and challenges of structuring formal Esports programs at institutions of higher education. The paper offers a primer on the growth and presence of Esports on campuses.More than 212 institutions have added programs in the past several years, and while some trends have emerged, there is no unified governance body or vision for structuring these programs. The authors focus the study on important areas of policy and guidance around intercollegiate governance and organization, diversity, recruitment and enrollment, intellectual property, and revenue and compensation. Read the brief: https://www.cic.edu/r/cd/Pages/esports-2020.aspx Type of News/Audience: Alumni Research Tags: research
