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The relationship between academic policies and APR calculations

Inside Higher Ed published a point of view by Todd Diacon, Faculty Athletics Representative at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, in which he discussed the relationship between individual institutional academic policies and the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate (APR).  While Diacon notes that the APR provides a useful opportunity for institutions to examine how their…

Academic penalties on Division I sport teams examined by USA Today

In a series of articles by the USA Today, the paper examines NCAA’s academic-related penalties to 200 sport teams at 123 Division I schools as well as the waivers given.  By comparing the penalties applied across the leagues, the report highlights a difference between the academic performance of teams in higher profile conferences as compared…

Knight Commission Calls on NCAA to Shorten Basketball Season

[ Sessions and audio with experts and researchers on academic performance in men's basketball; and NCAA infractions ]

The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics held discussions on academic reform, potential changes in the basketball playing season, and changes to penalties for violating National Collegiate Athletic Association rules. The Commission called on the NCAA to shorten the season to reduce the number of missed classes and stress on players. It also commended the association’s academic performance program, but noted that a complex waiver process is threatening to weaken standards designed to hold programs responsible for the academic progress of their players.

The Limitations of NCAA’s Most Recent Financial Report

The Higher Ed Watch Blog recently evaluated the NCAA’s report on college spending on athletics and noted several limitations. According to the blog, the report’s usefulness is limited because it discloses only aggregate numbers and does not disclose individual institutional expenses. The issue is complicated by different accounting practices at each institution. Yet, this report…

NCAA’s financial picture receives concern from media

Several recently published articles help identify concerns about the financial nature of intercollegiate athletics in response to the NCAA’s recent financial report, “2004-06 NCAA Revenues and Expenses of Division I Intercollegiate Athletics Programs Report.” The NCAA’s report demonstrated the median net deficit in generated revenues for Division I-A programs increased from $5.9 million in 2003-04…

Contra Costa Times cites Knight Commission survey

  Daniel Borenstein, a columnist for the Contra Costa Times, discusses the rapid increase in salaries for college coaches. He cites a 2006 survey sponsored by the Knight Commission that found that most Americans believe college sports has become too commercialized.

Controversy swells over offering athletic scholarships to eighth and ninth graders

  William “Brit” Kirwan, chancellor of the University of Maryland system and co-chair of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, called on colleges and the NCAA to end the practice of offering scholarships to students as young as the eighth grade.  “I find the practice appalling, quite frankly,” Kirwan told the USA Today.  “I certainly…