The NCAA News - News and Features

June 16, 1997

Deadline is extended for core-course changes

The deadline for high schools to submit descriptions of courses they want declared core courses for NCAA initial-eligibility certification purposes has been extended indefinitely.

High schools originally were given until May 31 to submit changes to the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse, but the deadline has been extended to allow more high schools an opportunity to submit the information.

To date, the clearinghouse has received information on more than 13,000 courses from nearly 6,000 high schools -- about one-fourth of the nation's high schools.

Information packets were mailed to 24,000 high schools in late February containing information about the NCAA's core-course approval process and the school's 48H form -- the form that lists the courses currently approved as core courses for initial-eligibility certification purposes. Schools were given 90 days to return the forms.

The clearinghouse has received 5,675 48H forms back. Schools that had no changes were instructed not to return the form, so it is difficult to determine how many high schools intend to return their forms with course changes.

This was the first year for the 90-day period for high schools to amend their 48H forms. The NCAA Academic Requirements Committee created the limited period for changing core-course designations as part of its efforts to fine-tune the initial-eligibility certification process.

Clearinghouse staff members process 48H forms within two weeks of receipt and either approve courses listed as core courses or forward course descriptions to the Academic Requirements Committee for more evaluation, said Calvin Symons, clearinghouse director. The clearinghouse staff evaluates course descriptions based on Academic Requirements Committee guidelines.

Part of the fine-tuning process involves automatic review by an Academic Requirements Committee subcommittee if a course is not certified by the clearinghouse.

Once the subcommittee decides whether a course qualifies as a core course, there is no other appeal. If an NCAA school later seeks an initial-eligibility waiver for a specific student, the request cannot be based on whether a course should have been considered a core course.

The intent is for core-course decisions to be made before individual student-athlete certification requests are received. The clearinghouse will begin receiving initial-eligibility certification requests from NCAA institutions this month. Requests will peak in July and August.

Changes were made in the core-course review process after the clearinghouse received hundreds of requests late last summer from member institutions to have students' records looked at a second time. Such requests typically were based on an institution's assertion that a course taken by a particular student should have been considered a core course.

Initial core-course decisions last year were made based on a course title without information regarding actual course content. This year's 48H form renewal packets included new worksheets that asked for information about course content, curriculum and instructional level, and required the signature of a high-school principal and guidance counselor.

Another part of the refined process is better communication between the high schools and the clearinghouse. A postcard was included in the renewal packets that could be self-addressed by the high school and returned with the 48H form.

If the high school returned the postcard, it was mailed back to the high school by the clearinghouse once the renewal was received, Symons said.