TOP POST

African-American student-athletes graduate at higher rates than non-athletes 

This post was written by Michelle Brutlag Hosick.

Richard Lapchick and The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at Central Florida released a study this week on the academic success of the 2008-09 bowl-bound football teams. The study, which repurposes the work of NCAA research staff in developing Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate data (accounting for the quick turnaround from bowl selection to study completion), points to what Lapchick calls a "huge gap between white and African-American football student-athletes."

Lapchick called the gap "disturbing." While it is fine for Lapchick to take a critical look at graduation rates, his assertion misses an important point: The trend is mirrored - even worsened - in the general student body.

African-American student-athletes are largely more successful than their counterparts in the general student-body. The most recent federal graduation-rate data show that African-American student-athletes graduate at a 53 percent rate, compared to 45 percent for African-Americans in the student body. Male African-American student-athletes graduate at a rate 10 percent higher than male students (48 percent to 38 percent).

Even in football, the federal graduation rate for African-American student-athletes playing in the Football Bowl Subdivision is five percentage points higher than that of African-American males in the student body as a whole.

These findings suggest that participation in athletics actually helps students succeed.
Since the entering class of 1984, improvements in the academic success of African-American male student-athletes has been phenomenal with graduation rates increasing by 15 percentage points. Improvements in the graduation rates of white male student-athletes is also occurring, though not as dramatically. The graduation rate for that demographic is up six percentage points over the same period.

The point is that athletics participation helps student-athletes succeed academically. If college sports is seen as failing student-athletes from an academic perspective, then higher education doesn't get a pass in this regard, either, since even the federal data point out that student-athletes do better in the classroom than their student-body counterparts in almost any cohort.

The NCAA makes federal graduation rate data publicly available online. Anyone is free to search for the graduation rates of student-athletes (and the student body) at any member institution. The information highlights demographics such as race, gender and sport.

Although there is clearly room for improvement, the numbers suggest much progress has been made.

Why do you think graduation rates for student-athletes are higher than that of the general student population?

IN THE ZONE

End of the year listS

Every year about this time we get bombarded with top ten lists. The latest: Time magazine's Top 10 Everything of 2008, 50 lists of top happenings during the year. Number one on the sports list: Tiger Woods' win at the U.S. Open. Coming in eighth, the Division II college softball game between Western Oregon and Central Washington. Western Oregon's Sara Tucholsky hit the first home run of her life, and then tore her ACL rounding first base. She was carried around the bases by the Central Washington's players.

What's your favorite college sports moment of 2008?

Notre Dame's interesting Thanksgiving

Zach Hillesland blogs about his favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, and what the Notre Dame basketball team did for the big day.

"Our Thanksgiving meal was at 10:30 a.m., and yes, it was weird eating turkey and mashed potatoes for breakfast. It was even weirder seeing Smoof (Luke Zeller, for those who don't remember) mix a traditional Thanksgiving meal with a traditional American breakfast. On his plate he had turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage links, and I'm pretty sure he covered everything with gravy."

Goodell: Don't go if you need a gun 

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is in the business of protecting and serving the best interest of the league and its players. He also gives advice. Recently, he was quoted in USA Today, "If you need a gun, you're in the wrong place." While this seems like obvious words of wisdom from Goodell, perhaps some players in professional sports need to listen.

Possible split national championship 

Here's a scenario for you. Texas rolls over Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Oklahoma beats Florida in the BCS National Championship game. Will the AP voters favor Texas over Oklahoma based on its head-to-head win, which would result in a split national championship? We'll have plenty of time over the next month to debate this.