We're living within a particular tension.
Pulling on one side is the college student-athlete. When she e-mails her professor, she expects a quick response. If she wants to major in Theme Park Engineering or Bowling Alley Construction, she expects to be able to. If she wants playing time in her sport, she'll pick a college where she can get it. Most of all, she expects a job when she graduates.
Given the soaring cost of college, she's right to expect excellent service.
Pulling on the other side is the coach. She knows college was never supposed to be about such consumerism. She knows the value of waiting, that playing time shouldn't be given away. And she knows college (a liberal arts college, anyway) wasn't responsible for job placement, but to teach skills applicable to many jobs.
Given the roots of the university system, the coach is right too.
It seems that those who thrive can live creatively within that tension.