BOULDER — Colorado’s NCAA-calculated Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 74 percent for men’s and women’s student-athletes who began college in 2004 was unchanged from the previous year and remained below the Division I single-year average of 82 percent, according to figures released Tuesday by the NCAA.
In reacting to the report, Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn said “we have work to do” but added that the school’s student-athletes set a department record during the 2011 spring semester for highest composite grade-point average.
Bohn expects Colorado’s GSR to spike upward during future years. The data has a long lag time. The newly released figures involved student-athletes who entered college in 2004 and investigated whether they graduated within six years.
“We recognize that (graduation rates) are the ‘end game’ and it is important that we continue to improve,” Bohn said. “The current coaches we have and the commitment they have made will certainly help us do that.”
Colorado’s GSR in 2004 for football (59) and men’s basketball (43) remained far below the national Division I averages of 69 for football and 68 for men’s basketball. The CU women’s basketball team scored 91, topping the GSR’s 2004 Division I average of 86 percent for that sport.
The NCAA developed the Graduation Success Rate to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes. The GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer students and for midyear enrollees, unlike standard graduation rates. Also, programs are not penalized for student-athletes who transfer out, as long as they leave in good academic standing.
For football and men’s basketball, Colorado’s GSR ranked near the bottom of the Big 12 Conference in 2004 and also would have fared poorly compared in that year to members of CU’s new conference, the Pac-12.
“I am confident we will improve that,” Bohn said. “Our current coaches are committed to it, and we have the academic resources to do it.”
Graduation rates
The following was released by the NCAA on Tuesday for student-athletes who started college in 2004. The “Graduation Success Rate” takes into account academic success for athletes, including transfers.
Colorado
Overall student-athlete graduation rate: 74 percent
Men overall: 64
Women overall: 89
Football: 59
Men’s basketball: 43
Women’s basketball: 91
Colorado State
Overall graduation rate: 83 percent
Men overall: 77
Women overall: 90
Football: 78
Men’s basketball: 64
Women’s basketball: 92
Denver
Overall graduation rate: 91 percent
Men overall: 85
Women overall: 98
Men’s hockey: 92
Men’s basketball: 83
Women’s basketball: 91
Wyoming
Overall graduation rate: 73 percent
Men overall: 65
Women overall: 84
Football: 64
Men’s basketball: 22
Women’s basketball: 93
(Source: NCAA)
Note: Air Force did not release its data.
