The board of a prestigious university announced a plan to improve its ranking by investing significantly in its athletics program. In an interview, the university president stated, "By enhancing our athletics program, we are likely to attract more high-achieving students, as they tend to have a keen interest in sports. Therefore, we expect our overall academic reputation to greatly improve as a result of this investment."
This argument exhibits a flaw in reasoning. Which of the following best describes the flaw in the university president's reasoning?