ATHLETICS

Making the Grade

Mizzou A.D. Mike Alden Discusses Proposed Graduation Rate Requirements in a Recent Column

There is probably not a college coach in our country who does not want each and every one of his or her players to graduate. It doesn't matter what the sport is, they all want the players they recruit to receive a degree. There is no question in my mind that they are sincere about this.

At Missouri, we have the highest graduation rate in the Big 12 Conference. Earlier this year, we reported a superb 72 percent graduation rate for our student-athletes. One day, I would love to report that 100 percent of our student-athletes graduate, but as admirable a goal as that might be, we all know that it is unlikely.

University presidents are increasingly becoming more vocal about low graduation rates, particularly in the high-profile sports of football and men's basketball. Did you realize that of the 65 teams that competed in the 2003 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, 43 of them have a player graduation rate of below 50 percent, and 13 of those basketball programs have a zero percent rate among African-American student-athletes?

There is one body recommending significant changes to combat this disturbing trend. The Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics has proposed that colleges should graduate at least half of the students who play in each individual sport, and that teams with rates lower than 50 percent would be barred from conference championships and other post-season games. Commission co-chairman Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, president emeritus of Notre Dame, said upon the release of the Commission's proposal, “Your school is not worthy to be the champion of the country if you're not educating your kids.”

The NCAA is considering this proposal, which is backed by school presidents, who run the organization through their control of the Division I Board of Directors. Under this proposal, recently-crowned national champion Syracuse would not have been eligible for the tournament. The Orangemen have a graduation rate in the sport of basketball of 25 percent. Our graduation rate in basketball at Missouri is just 10 percent. However, every student-athlete who has exhausted his eligibility since Quin Snyder's arrival at Mizzou has received his degree. "Exhausted their eligibility" is key to this entire subject. Student-athletes exhaust their eligibility when they complete four years of competition (two years in the case of a junior college transfer). At issue among most basketball and football coaches is the way graduation rates are calculated.

Using a different methodology to calculate graduation rates is imperative if high-profile programs are going to meet the NCAA's proposed figure of 50 percent. There are three factors that are currently used to track graduation rates. A student-athlete must receive financial aid, and must have entered the institution as a freshman. They then have a six-year window to complete their four-year degree. Under this system, if a player transfers to another school, or leaves early to pursue professional opportunities they count against your program. Since Coach Snyder's arrival, Keyon Dooling and Kareem Rush both left school early and were first round draft picks in the NBA. Both have not yet completed their degrees. Therefore they have an impact on Missouri's graduation rate in the sport Men's Basketball.

Counting just those who complete their eligibility would benefit every program. Let's use the Big 12 Conference as an example. If you average the graduation rates for every member institution, 58 percent was the rate for 2003. But each school has an “Exhausted Eligibility” graduation rate of over 80 percent. Opponents claim that failing to count recruits who drop out or transfer, give coaches one less reason to keep from dismissing unproductive players.

The NCAA's proposal is being fully developed this spring, with an expectation that it will be implemented by August 2004. The first prong of the system would provide incentives to programs with “exemplary” graduation rates. Full implementation of the program is expected in the fall of 2006, when the NCAA can begin barring teams from post-season play. That gives schools three years to prepare for what promises to be increased scrutiny on the individual graduation rates.

As always, thank-you for taking the time to read this column. If you have any questions or comments about this topic, or anything related to intercollegiate athletics at the University of Missouri, please e-mail me.

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Last Update: November 15, 2007