Kayla Peeples
The University of Georgia football team, off by one percent, nearly matched the overall 83 percent graduation rate for the University in academic year 2012-2013.
The team’s 82 percent graduation success rate, ranked the program number one among its division one competitors, making it the highest rate the football program achieved since 2005.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association designed its graduation success rate to measure the movement made by athletes through the six years given to obtain a baccalaureate at four-year institutions.
The current graduation rate of the football team show combined efforts made by student-athletes and the athletic department to keep up with nonstudent-athlete peers in the classroom.
First-year-bio-technology major, Shannon Bryant, said although the athletes in her classes are “less strenuous”, but as college students going to class is seen as an “accomplishment” for anyone.
“I think it’s good that it [rate] has gone up. It also shows it goes along with the admission requirement statistics, if it’s the same,” said Bryant.
Compared to nonstudent-athletes, the hard work just does not stop on the football field. Players are required by coaches to put equal focus on their academics.
Fourth-year-journalism major and wide-receiver, Chris Conley, 21, said although it is part of coaches’ job to emphasize the importance of school work and sports, in professors’ classrooms you are a student first and foremost.
“They [coaches] wouldn’t be hired if you weren’t making the grades, they wouldn’t be hired if you’re not eligible. Some people in the academic building could care less about your sport honestly because they believe you’re here to get your degree from the university,” said Conley.
The 13 percent football graduation rate growth from the previous year demonstrated the improvement the team makes with each entering freshmen class, but the success comes with setbacks in players who fail to see the importance of graduation.
Ted White, associate athletic director for academic services, said at times it is frustrating to get players to see the outcome of graduating with a degree that will allow them to have a fulfilling career after college when they overlook support from academic services.
“That’s the hardest part about this job is doing what you think is best to support students and fighting them for that,” said White. “But then when you’re forcing someone to come to a tutoring session, forcing someone to go to class and you’re forcing them to pick a major, it’s like come on. And it’s a small group it’s not like it’s a big group and were staffed enough to do it, but that’s why we’re here. To keep fighting that good fight every day and hopefully the light goes on.”
The University of Georgia football team, off by one percent, nearly matched the overall 83 percent graduation rate for the University in academic year 2012-2013.
The team’s 82 percent graduation success rate, ranked the program number one among its division one competitors, making it the highest rate the football program achieved since 2005.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association designed its graduation success rate to measure the movement made by athletes through the six years given to obtain a baccalaureate at four-year institutions.
The current graduation rate of the football team show combined efforts made by student-athletes and the athletic department to keep up with nonstudent-athlete peers in the classroom.
First-year-bio-technology major, Shannon Bryant, said although the athletes in her classes are “less strenuous”, but as college students going to class is seen as an “accomplishment” for anyone.
“I think it’s good that it [rate] has gone up. It also shows it goes along with the admission requirement statistics, if it’s the same,” said Bryant.
Compared to nonstudent-athletes, the hard work just does not stop on the football field. Players are required by coaches to put equal focus on their academics.
Fourth-year-journalism major and wide-receiver, Chris Conley, 21, said although it is part of coaches’ job to emphasize the importance of school work and sports, in professors’ classrooms you are a student first and foremost.
“They [coaches] wouldn’t be hired if you weren’t making the grades, they wouldn’t be hired if you’re not eligible. Some people in the academic building could care less about your sport honestly because they believe you’re here to get your degree from the university,” said Conley.
The 13 percent football graduation rate growth from the previous year demonstrated the improvement the team makes with each entering freshmen class, but the success comes with setbacks in players who fail to see the importance of graduation.
Ted White, associate athletic director for academic services, said at times it is frustrating to get players to see the outcome of graduating with a degree that will allow them to have a fulfilling career after college when they overlook support from academic services.
“That’s the hardest part about this job is doing what you think is best to support students and fighting them for that,” said White. “But then when you’re forcing someone to come to a tutoring session, forcing someone to go to class and you’re forcing them to pick a major, it’s like come on. And it’s a small group it’s not like it’s a big group and were staffed enough to do it, but that’s why we’re here. To keep fighting that good fight every day and hopefully the light goes on.”