I stand by my previous comments on this issue.

When the professors are held accountable athletically to the student-athletes they teach, you can hold the coaches academically accountable to the student-athletes they coach.

Its only fair.

I think that coaches should be involved with their students grades, but overall, the coach can't make the student get good grades. The coach can make the students get grade reports, and other things such as that. It is the athlete's responsibility to get the grade. If he or she wants to play, they will make the grade to participate in athletics.

I personally believe the concept proposed is one that should be put into practice even though we're unsure if the outcome may yield less than satisfactory.
YES student athletes ARE relayed the message of being a STUDENT first and an ATHLETE second but how many do you really believe think that way ALL the time?
I think it is time that the university does more to ensure the academic success of it's athletes.

I believe that this issue should be looked at a more in-depth manner. I think that the coach can control what he/she can: making the student-athlete go to class, get daily, weekly or mid-term grade reports from their professors, suspend student-athlete for a game or some other type of punishment to enforce the importance of academics. However, I think it ultimately comes down to the student-athlete and their school. You do not see the Division 1 coaches losing their jobs due to student-athletes that do not graduate or get a certain GPA, but ultimately, the coaches are based upon their wins and losses and not for the academic progress of their athletes.

It is very diffucult to understand the question. When a student-athlete becomes an active member of any college it is the responsibility of every member of that athletic department to ensure that they provide each and every student-athlete with whatever support they have within their perview so they are succesful. There should be no boundaries. It should ranges from the AD to the trainer. I issue something to my entire staff each year entitled "Who's Job Is It?". it fits this response.

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an improtant job to be done and Everyone was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nodbody dit it. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended that Everyone blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

This sums up where we stand are with APR and all the other mandates that should never be in place if Everyone, Somebody, Anbody, and Nobody did their job.

Educating our students is everyone's repsonsibility regardless if you are a coach or administrator. The budren rests with each of us to ensure that our young men and women receive the suport, attention and care that will enable them to succeed and suffice their objectives to become college graduates.

Thus, the question is baffling. We are a small DII institution without the staff and resources of DI instutions but our commitment to each student is our ultimate goal. Our objective is as follows:

Academic excellence
Social enhancement
Quality athletic participation

We keep it simple. Sorry to be so long winded, but I don't get it. Education it is that simple. We have complicated the issue to the point we need oversight to do our jobs...very sad.

Mike, many coaches make 5-10X my professorial salary. When professors are being paid the same enormous salaries, we'll be happy to shoulder the APR burden!

This is not quick fix by any means. I like the input on all the posts thus far. They all have a certain degree of validity.

While I could invest my entire Thanksgiving break on this topic, there is one aspect that the entire APR concept seems to ignore or minimize: accountability on the student-athlete.

With transferring being easier for the S-A today, and the pressure from early recruiting (at least in my sport)forcing what might be a rushed, uninformed decision for a 15 year old, is the timing of the APR a bit misplaced?

While I would not fear an APR following me, I am in a sport that on the whole doesn't have major issues with S-A's academically. But I know other sports, especially the FB, MBB, and WBB, where there are many "at risk" academic athletes that are needed to win.

It is definitely an institutional resources issue. It's profiling and knowing what kind of student the athlete will be successful in class, an inexact science at best. It's treatment of players, talent selection, S-A monitoring, program culture, location, etc..... All of these issues are difficult to wrap neatly into one convenient little number. And who will take this number with a grain of salt and who will take it to heart in the hiring process or evaluation process. If an S-A transfers because the coach they played for left, how could that be measured as to not punish the coach in the example? Why should the replacement coach get punished?

But again, I would like to hear at what point in time do we allocate responsibility and accountability to the athlete themselves. A coaching colleague once said to me and this rings true...."It's their game, it's our LIFE." They affect our LIVES with their actions a great deal. Is that entirely on US in who we select?

Would love to hear how S-A accountability can or could be factored in? And is there some way to index the APR based on resources available or against the institutional student(non athlete) population academic performance? Or overall athletic department performance? Just some ideas.

When coach's contracts are determined by academics rather than how many wins they get, I am all for this idea. Most coaches care and make academics a priority. However, if your administration fires you for losing despite a great team academic and graduation record - it is hard to not put the focus on winning. How many coaches are rewarded with better contacts (better salary - longer contract) for a good APR? Plus, some schools have much better support systems for student-athletes, which could make coaches at those schools look better.

If tax dollars are used or scholarships are involved then absolutely hold the coach accountable and get real student athletes instead of people of no or low accomplishment that will give very little if anything back to the community after their free ride is over. A recent report shows Oklahoma and the University of Texas at an abysmal 48 and 50 percent passing rate while Texas Tech sits at 79 percent. None of these should be acceptable to anyone getting a free ride. And I don't care about "how hard" they work or any other excuses... because that is all the low academic performers have... excuses.

How about a mandantory 65 percent student athlete pass rate before any post season play is allowed? Of course this won't happen because there are too many excuse makers out there. After all... everyone here knows that colleges and universities exist for the their sports programs... certainly not to learn anything from.