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Numbers way up for Auburn athletes

12/17/03

TORAINE NORRIS

News staff writer

Auburn University showed one of the highest increases in the nation in the graduation rate of its student-athletes, according to recently released figures from the NCAA, while Birmingham-Southern College and Samford University continue to graduate the highest percentage of student-athletes in the state.

Nationwide, a record 62 percent of all Division I scholarship athletes who arrived as freshmen in 1996 graduated within six years, according to the lastest survey compiled by the federal government and released by the NCAA.

Auburn graduated 62 percent of the student-athletes who enrolled in 1996. That's six percentage points below the rate for all Auburn students, but 17 points higher than last year for student-athletes. The increase tied Auburn with Michigan State University for the highest jump among Division I schools from the previous year. Auburn's graduation rate is also the fourth highest among Southeastern Conference institutions behind Vanderbilt (75 percent), Mississippi State (66 percent) and Florida (63 percent).

Alabama recorded a rate of 54 percent, nine points below the student body rate. Alabama's rate last year was 56 percent.

"It's down a little for us ... We had a lot of coaching changes in that period," said Jon Dever, director of academic services for intercollegiate athletics. "That affects graduation rates more than anybody realizes."

Half of the student-athletes who enrolled at UAB in 1996 graduated within six years. The rate for all UAB students was 38 percent. Last year, 57 percent of student-athletes graduated.

Looking strictly at football players, Auburn's graduation rate was 68 percent. Alabama graduated 50 percent. However, Alabama had only 10 players in the 1996 class. Five graduated, one transferred, another left after two years and three are either playing professional football or trying to do that.

Half of the football players who signed with UAB in 1996 graduated.

BSC had the highest graduation rate in the state for all kinds of student-athletes at 81 percent. That was six percentage points higher than all BSC students.

Samford University graduated 73 percent of its student-athletes compared to a rate of 67 percent for the student body as a whole. Jacksonville State's graduation rate of 63 percent was also above the national average.

The University of North Alabama had the highest rate among the state's Division II schools. Fifty-six percent of UNA's student-athletes who entered in 1996 graduated, compared to a 37 percent rate for the student body.

UNA's rate is above the national average of 52 percent, which represents a record graduation rate among Division II schools.

Division II Miles College showed a marked gap between the graduation rates of its athletes and its overall student body - 29 percent to 73 percent. The 29 percent, though, represents an improvement from 12 percent last year.

Miles athletics director Augustus James said his school is making strides in improving its graduation rate for student athletes. "We have an excellent tutorial program here and we also hired a person in the retention program," James said.

James cited what he says is a problem in NCAA graduation rate calculations in general: it counts against a school if a player transfers or leaves early for the professional ranks. NCAA president Myles Brand has agreed that represents a flaw.

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