(The following editorial originally appeared in the March 3, 2009 edition of the Anniston Star)

For JSU, a Step Up

In our opinion
03-03-2009

In athletics, statistics often are the cold, hard reality that labels teams as a winner or loser. In academics, that method is often callous. And perhaps unfair.

Jacksonville State University provides an example. In recent years, its football and men's basketball teams' grade-point averages have been so shockingly low -- the hoops squad reportedly had a 1.85 GPA before coach James Green was hired last year -- that the NCAA has threatened sanctions.

Thus, it should be a source of pride to JSU alumni and those who follow the university that the Gamecocks have made substantive academic strides. According to a story in Monday's Star, JSU athletes have a combined GPA of 2.93, and 11 teams posted combined GPAs above 3.0. And, yes, there's improvement in football and men's basketball.

Critics will toss barbs at those teams, which still rank at the bottom of JSU's list. But those same critics must at least acknowledge that the football team's GPA (2.56) is its highest in its nine seasons under coach Jack Crowe, and the men's basketball team's GPA (2.64) saw a marked, overwhelming improvement.

These teams deserve their 15 minutes of fame.

The job, however, isn't done. It never is in academics, especially with students recruited for the non-academic reasons of throwing a football or dunking a basketball.

Just last year, the Institute for Diversity and Integrity in Sport found both good and bad among the nation's 68 college bowl teams: Graduation rates were improving year-to-year for both black and white players, but the gap between the number of white players and black players who graduate was increasing.

Clearly, there's work to do, nationally and at JSU. Still, for a host of reasons the university seems to have recommitted itself to more than lip service on improving the academic performance of its athletes. That Green asked for two academic-incentive clauses taken from his contract because he didn't want extra pay for what he felt was a fundamental part of his job is a stance all at JSU athletics should adopt.

Whether for ethical reasons or fear of NCAA sanctions, it's good that the GPAs of JSU athletes are on the rise. Of course, one reason sounds better than the other.

 

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