Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State Athletics Statement on APR Scores
5/4/2007 12:00:00 AM | General
May 4, 2007
FRESNO, Calif. - The following state was released by the Fresno State Athletics Department in regard to the Academic Progress Rate scores recently released by the NCAA.
Academic Progress Rate (APR) statistics released Wednesday by the NCAA reflect mixed results for Fresno State sport programs. This is the third year of the APR data.
There were some outstanding achievements by several programs, including the women's golf team with a perfect Multiyear Rate of 1000 and the women's tennis team scored a 1000 for the 2005-06 year.
The Bulldog football and volleyball teams continue to be ranked highly for their sport.
The men's basketball team made significant improvement for the second straight year. While it once again fell below the Multiyear Rate score, it jumped to 787, up 156 points from the first year of data when the Dogs had a score of 611, the lowest in the nation. The Bulldog basketball team had a score of 905 for the 2005-06 year. It will take a couple more years of similar progress to get past the first year low score. When the 2007-08 data is released, the 611 score from 2003-04 will no longer be factored in its APR.
However, not all sports showed improvement or maintained that high level. Improvement is needed in a variety of areas to improve the scores. Ultimately our goal is to improve graduation rates. The APR provides a snapshot measure of how the department is doing as the reach that goal. It is, however, how we are judged and we are working to improve.
We are creating and fostering a culture within the athletics department where graduation is expected. That has to come from the administration, through the coaches and to the student-athletes. All levels are held equally accountable.
In doing so, Fresno State Student-Athlete Services, in conjunction with the sport coaches, have developed plans to enhance the APR for each sport. It is anticipated this actions will generate improved scores in the future as the APR become a more widely understood and common form of measurement of academic success.
It is important to note that any sport with a multi-year rate that falls below 925 is subject to contemporaneous penalties, which include a reduction in scholarships if a student-athlete is ineligible and withdraws from the university prior to graduation.
Progress is already being made on the Fresno State campus. According to Dr. Susan Gutkind, Assistant Athletics Director for Student Services, unofficial APR figures from fall 2006 showed marked improvement relative to fall 2005. These figures are not factored in the 2005-06 Multiyear Rate, but will be included in the 2006-07 rate, which will be released a year from now.
Current initiatives taken by Fresno State that are helping:
Getting students into their college major earlier in the academic career.
Working more closely with academic advisors and counselors on campus to ensure students are moving toward their degree with an improved plan for graduation.
The athletics department is specifically focused on creating and fostering a culture of academic success in which graduation within five years is expected. We continue to educate coaches and student-athlete of the value of the APR and, most importantly, graduating.
