PDF: NCAA_Academic_Rate_0123.pdf
UTC officials are worried new higher education legislation, intended to eliminate remedial and developmental education at four-year universities, could hurt the school’s ability to hold onto its student athletes.
“There are a lot of unanswered questions,” said Rick Hart, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga athletics director. “One of the things that we aren’t certain about is how this might impact (athletes’) status as full-time students and how it might impact financial aid.”
To overcome academic hurdles for student athletes, UTC likely will have to enter into a contractual agreement to bring Chattanooga State or Cleveland State community college instructors to teach developmental classes on UTC’s campus.
This formal partnership between community colleges and UTC would come after a long history of locking heads over failed transfer agreements between the schools. Both Chattanooga State and Cleveland State officials have been critical of UTC’s unwillingness to accept two-year students into some academic programs.
Some lawmakers say they hope the new bill will encourage schools such as Chattanooga State and UTC to work more closely together to help all students, not just athletes, chart a plan for successfully completing college.
“I think they will be able to work together,” said Rep. Gerald McCormick, R-Chattanooga. “I don’t think they have a choice. They are being forced to at this point. They need to work together.”
Legislators debated Thursday how requiring university students to “dual enroll” and take developmental classes at community colleges would impact students’ full-time status and eligibility for financial aid such as athletic scholarships.
The issue threatened to hold up legislation, but lawmakers consulted National Collegiate Athletic Association rules and worked with higher education officials with the Tennessee Board of Regents and the University of Tennessee system. They then inserted an amendment ensuring all dual-enrolled students would be considered full time at the universities they attend.
“It became clear that (the bill) was going to become problematic for student athletes and others who have certain scholarship requirements for being a full-time enrolled student,” said Rep. Gary Odom, D-Nashville.
The legislation passed the House and Senate on Thursday night, and lawmakers sent it to Gov. Phil Bredesen for his signature.
Universities across the state are looking at how to protect their athletes’ status as full-time students under new regulations about remedial education.
Gov. Bredesen has said he wants to eliminate all remedial and developmental education in the state in three years as the high-school curriculum improves through new standards set by the Tennessee Diploma Project. Universities should be focused on teaching college-level curriculum rather than getting students up to speed, according to the governor’s plan, Complete College Tennessee.
Still, no longer offering developmental classes could prove to be a hassle for UTC, since 38 percent of entering freshman athletes test into developmental classes. Fifty percent of all entering freshman at UTC are required to take developmental courses, documents show.
The NCAA allows students to take up to six hours of remedial education, which doesn’t count toward their degree, and retain their eligibility, officials said.
UTC has faced sanctions for the poor academic performance of its athletes. The football team’s four-year average academic progress rate of 870 is 30 points below the NCAA benchmark of 900, documents show. Under the rating system, players are given points for maintaining their academic eligibility to play, staying in their schools and graduating within a certain time.
REMEDIAL EDUCATION* 38 percent of student athletes at UTC test into developmental classes* 50 percent of all UTC students test into developmental classes* 60 percent of students in community colleges test into remedial classesSource: UTC, THECWHAT DOES THE NCAA SAY?Courses taken at a second institution may be counted toward meeting the minimum 12-hour enrollment requirement as long as the certifying institution officially recognizes the student’s combined hours as full-time enrollment for a minimum of 12 hours. Courses taken at the second institution will be included on the student’s transcript at the institution where the student is seeking the degree. So it would be permissible for a student-athlete to be enrolled and taking courses at two institutions and still be eligible for intercollegiate competition at the original institution only, said Cameron Schuh, a spokesman for the NCAA.
In order to make sure UTC student athletes can take the developmental classes they need, the school should contract out the classes to either Chattanooga State or Cleveland State, said David Wright, associate executive director of policy, planning and research at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.
Remedial education instructors at Chattanooga State can offer the classes on UTC’s campus and function, in many ways, as adjuncts, he said.
“No one is saying there won’t be developmental opportunities at four-year colleges,” Mr. Wright said. “This is all about further defining mission differentiation. We want (two-year and four-year schools) to have different roles.”
UTC officials said they are interested in discussing a formal contract to allow students to be dual enrolled at Chattanooga State, but it is too early in the process to know when and how it would be worked out.
“I have faith that we are going to do everything we can to help our students,” Mr. Hart said. “We are just going to have to find ways to make sure they aren’t placed at a disadvantage.”
Jeff Olingy, a spokesman for Chattanooga State, said college officials look forward to problem solving with UTC.
“We would look forward to working with UTC in partnership in this initiative just like we work with them in so many others,” he said.