SWAC Committed to APR Success, Academic Excellence
SWAC.org
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Over 1,100 Southwestern Athletic Conference student-athletes truly defined what it is to be a student and collegiate athlete last year. The group maintained over a 3.0 GPA while competing in their respective sports and were named to the SWAC All-Academic Team for their accomplishments in the classroom.
Four of the leagues member institutions had over 120 student-athletes represented on the list. Jackson State University led the group with 173, followed closely by Alabama State University (158), Mississippi Valley State University (135) and Prairie View A&M University (126).
Despite previous difficulties with academic progress rates, Jackson State has been steadily improving over the past four years in football and made great strides in men’s basketball. And the Tigers success came in spite of the national numbers.
A study released by the NCAA late last year stated only 61 percent of African American male student-athletes who entered college in 2005 successfully graduated within six years, a stark comparison to the 81 percent of white student-athletes who graduated in the same time. And while the graduation success rates have increased across the board, a disparaging gap remains.
The Division I Board of Directors recognized the unique struggles of limited resource institutions and amended the benchmarks for APR compliance. The SWAC has since stepped in to help members meet the new requirements.
Included in the league’s initiatives was an APR Task Force that was created in August of 2012. It consists of 12 members from athletic directors, senior woman administrators, compliance, faculty athletic representatives, and academic advisors. GradesFirst, a web-based student performance monitoring software system, was also provided to all 10 SWAC institutions. The application allows for academic advisors, administrators, and faculty to communicate and provide student services.
In coordination with the NCAA, the SWAC also distributes information about grants and programs available to help bring institutions into compliance. The NCAA’s new policies mandate that programs carry over a 930 APR rating in order to be eligible for NCAA championships by 2015-16. Jackson State is one of the SWAC institutions who have excelled across the board. They have an institutional average APR rating of 960 with the second highest football and men’s basketball ratings in the league.
The All-Academic Team is representative of the SWAC’s progress, with the increases in training and focus shift towards the academic success of its student-athletes. Please click here to view the All-Academic Team.