Academic Differences

A report released Monday by the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports compared graduation rates at the four number 1 seeded schools in the NCAA tournament. The results put UNC heads and shoulders above the rest, graduating 86% of its players compared to KU (45%), UCLA and Memphis (40%). The report, however, measured a period from the '97-98 school year through '00-01. Central Florida's release of such outdated data is misleading, irresponsible and opportunistic.

That's strong language. After all, the data is intended to highlight possible trends. The reason I take offense is simple. Since the time the study was conducted, KU's basketball program has a different Head Coach, a different academic adviser and a different A.D. Do those three positions have an impact on graduation rates or the extent to which they are a priority at a school? Absolutely. Could changing those three positions initiate a renewed committment toward academic progress and even change a trend over the course of 7 or 8 years? No question.

Central Florida's report would almost be irrelevant were it not for the national data that can be drawn from such a study, repeated over time. I guess the thing that gets me is the implication that North Carolina, under Head Coach Roy Williams, demonstrates a stronger commitment to academic progress than Kansas. With all due respect to Coach Williams and his staff, he was at Kansas during the length of the study, along with the program's academic adviser. It's unfair to compare this year's four number 1 seeds- their current coaches, players and athletic departments- using such outdated data. Whether KU fans like it or not, a lot has changed since Roy left, but KU's commitment to academic excellence remains as strong as ever.