Editor’s Note: In ‘Academic support revamps its plan’ (p. 8, Nov. 16), the Technician referenced an NCAA investigation in the lede . There was no ‘investigation,’ it was a report. The Technician regrets this error.
The downfalls of N.C . State athletic’s graduation rates are shown in an NCAA report which reveals that the University has the lowest graduation rates for student-athletes among the Atlantic Coast Conference member institutions.
A verbal tiff between State football coach Tom O’Brien and UNC-Chapel Hill coach Everett Withers set the backdrop to the rivalry game.
Provost and Vice Chancellor Warwick Arden expressed his discontent with the graduation rates among both athletes and the general student body.
“We know we have a lot of progress to make here,” Arden said.
According to Carrie Leger , associate athletics director for academics and student services, the athletics department is taking steps to address this issue. One approach Leger emphasized was a six-year graduation plan for student athletes.
“First, we’re looking carefully at those students who are within the six-year window for the cohort,” Leger said. “And identifying those students who have left the institution but are still within range of finishing in that six-year window, reaching out to them, and working closely with them on a completion plan.”
Former quarterback Russell Wilson and current quarterback Mike Glennon , a redshirt junior, both graduated early from State but still compete in football. Both can be view as model examples of this plan.
The overall goal of the plan is to help the athletes remain in touch with the advisers in their academic disciplines, according to Leger .
“It’s helping them reconnect with their campus advisor and map out a plan,” Leger said. “Whether, for some students depending on their circumstances and what courses they have remaining for graduation.”
According to Leger , the academic support program also supports athletes who are past the six-year plan of action window in their pursuit of a degree, which isn’t reflected in the NCAA’s findings. Leger did not have an exact figure on the number of athletes who do return for their degree after the window.
“I don’t have the percentage on that,” Leger said. “And my experience tells me that if they have gone on and they’re pursing their sport professionally when that opportunity ends, when their athletic career comes to an end, often they do return to the institution to try to finish up their degree.”
With some athletes, such as J.J . Hickson and Mario Williams from years past, leaving the school early to play their sport professionally, the graduation rate has lagged and has left the athletic department with the task of finding a way to raise it back to the top of the conference.
Andrea Stinson is also a notable member of the Pack who had not earned her degree in her time at State, but went on to play professional basketball in 1998 and hasn’t returned to finish her degree.
“If that student graduates beyond the six-year window, they don’t reflect positively in our graduation rate,” Leger said. “Which is why we’re taking that strategic approach to identify those students who can graduate within the six-year window. With that said, if students come back to the University and need assistance with degree completion, we support them.”
Athletics is also looking at the amount of financial aid dispensed to athletes, according to Leger . The department is investigating a possible correlation between the amount of aid given and the possibility of an athlete leaving the program.
“The next thing we’re doing is looking carefully at who is part of the cohort and who is being offered athletics aid,” Leger said. “If they are offered one dollar of the scholarship then they are part of the cohort. The NCAA is also looking at this and they may actually legislate the minimum aid award that can be provided.
“What we’re trying to understand is, looking at our data, if the student has a very small scholarship award, does that impact their likelihood to stay at N.C . State.”