In a lengthy story published by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education, an HBCU official suggested the NCAA increasing academic standards would “kill” institutions ability to field competitive teams due to some student-athletes inability to literally make the grade.
Just in the last few years, the likes of Jackson State, Grambling State and Texas Southern have had their share of Academic Progress Rate problems. The setbacks have resulted in football and basketball squads unable to participate in postseason play until the issues are rectified.
But, there is hope now that HBCU athletic departments will be saved from immediate extermination after the NCAA agreed to work with so-called limited-resource institutions, which black colleges, because they are horribly underfunded compared to predominately white state schools, fall into .
“We have an obligation to work with HBCUs and limited-resource institutions to make sure their student-athletes have every opportunity to be successful academically,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said. “It’s important to look at a variety of options and be as deliberative as we can to ensure our actions facilitate success, not limit it.”
The goal of the Academic Performance Program is not to punish teams that don’t meet the benchmarks but to improve the academic outcomes for under performing teams. The flexible transition period for limited-resource institutions is consistent with this goal and provides opportunities for institutions with limited resources and a different mission.
In October, the presidents on the Board adopted higher APR standards for all teams in Division I. The new standards are designed to ensure that no team with an APR that predicts to less than 50 percent graduation rate participates in NCAA championships. The new standards will be phased in over a four-year transition period.
For limited resource schools teams must earn a 900 four-year APR or a 930 average over the most recent two years.
While promising to work with black colleges is an important step by the NCAA in attempting to mend broken academic fences, the collegiate governing body could go steps further and mend economic fences that have restricted schools from effectively creating an environment where student-athletes are afforded every single opportunity to succeed in the classroom just like their BCS brothas and sistas who are backed by man power and dollars — millions of them.
More:
http://fansnthestands.hbcufannation.com/20...
Posted By: How May I Help You NC
Tuesday, June 5th 2012 at 6:46PM
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