From the first weeks of his presidency, Myles Brand was a champion for the student-athlete, dedicated to enhancing the academic environment and eliminating the phrase "dumb jock" from the American perception.

His commitment to academic excellence changed the culture of college sports to emphasize the importance of classroom performance as well as competitive success.

Under Brand's leadership, the NCAA created:

•  A structure anchored by the Academic Progress Rate, a "real-time" metric designed to give a snapshot of how teams are performing academically, providing disincentives for poor academic performance and recognition for high performers.

•  The Graduation Success Rate (Division I) and Academic Success Rate (Division II), new metrics that provide a more accurate measure of the graduation rate of student-athletes than does the federal calculation.

•  Increased initial-eligibility standards, including requiring more core-courses for prospective student-athletes and de-emphasizing test scores as a way to judge academic fitness.

These measures have produced results. The most recent APR data show almost across-the-board improvement in all sports and all demographics.

With the GSR and ASR in place, Brand set an unofficial goal of having 80 percent of all student-athletes graduate. Division I student-athletes have stepped closer to that goal every year, with the most recent data showing 79 percent graduating within six years. In Division II, the number has climbed steadily to 71 percent. The strengthened initial-eligibility standards contribute to academic success in all three metrics.

While much of the media attention on academic reform has centered on the penalties for teams that don't make the grade - and the low number receiving penalties - Brand always stressed that the program was about changing behavior, not dispensing punishment.

In 2007, Brand dedicated much of his State of the Association speech to the emerging success of academic reform, challenging the media at large to "get their facts right" in reporting on the academic success of student-athletes.

"A large majority of student-athletes are receiving a fine education and graduating from our colleges and universities. Let us give them and their institutions the credit they deserve," Brand said. He also touted the APR's fairness, data-driven foundation and student-athlete focus.

Noting that some sports might need extra work with reform, Brand oversaw the creation of academic enhancement groups for baseball, men's basketball and football. Only baseball's reforms have been implemented, and early APR data indicate those efforts will be successful as well.

Notable in Brand's leadership on academic issues was his ability to withstand criticisms and attacks from those who sought to weaken the program. His example allowed the presidents to stand firm in their support of the student-athlete's academic success.

Brand's commitment to academic reform and emphasis on the integration of athletics with the academic mission of colleges and universities will be a centerpiece of his legacy.