APR: The NCAA’s Academic Law - Part II

As I stated in a previous post , Academic Progress Rate (APR) is a team-based formula developed by the NCAA in order to track the academic eligibility, retention, and achievements of Division I member institutions’ athletic teams during each academic term. The NCAA states that since the implementation of APR, “The number of student-athletes who have left school while ineligible has decreased significantly each year since the APR began and is now at an all-time low.” Essentially, a larger number of student-athletes are graduating each year since APR’s inauguration in 2004.

While I entirely understand the argument against APR, I believe head coaches and universities hold complete control over their teams’ APR scores based on the athletes in which coaches recruit and the academic atmosphere coaches instill.  In regards to recruiting, coaches serve as the lone force in choosing players that will fit into their systems. It is for this exact reason that I believe APR regulations and sanctions deserve little to no criticism. APR simply expects student-athletes to rise to certain standards that encourage academic triumph while maintaining a healthy connection between sport and scholar, preserving a degree of integrity within the NCAA.  Athletic directors and administrators must ensure the coaches at his or her university recruit not only athletically qualified student-athletes, but student-athletes that will succeed in Division I academic standards.

I believe educators, coaches, compliance departments, NCAA directors, and all others holding involvement in college athletics cannot justify opposition to APR, for all are appointed supporters of student-athletes. APR serves as a regulating system ensuring student-athletes are provided with a supreme education to assist in the transition into the professional world. Thus said, support for APR transcends into support for the student-athlete.