The KU Academic Success Initiative, when fully implemented by the coaching staff, provides the appropriate support, incentive, and opportunity for students to make a similar effort toward their academic success as made toward their athletic performance. The Initiative is based on the expectation that both individual and team academic performance will be at or above the level of the overall student body. This expectation is built into the evaluation of coaches and is an integral part of the process of awarding athletic scholarships. KU provides athletic scholarships to support the academic pursuits of its student-athletes. Student-athletes are expected to participate in sports because they love to do so.
Continuing indications reveal that the Initiative works and is having a profound and measurable effect on both academic and athletic performance.
The KU Academic Success Initiative contains the following components:
The Monitoring of Progress: The academic progress of student-athletes is continually tracked and monitored.
Course Selection and Registration: In order to avoid unnecessary conflicts between athletic events and classes, student-athletes are provided a registration date earlier than the rest of the campus student population. Registration is now done online via the Internet. Students can go online at any time to view their schedule, grades, transcript, financial aid, payments, charges and restrictions on their account.
Academic Coaching: This year-long program is based on one-on-one personal contacts between the coach and the student-athlete.
Faculty Advising: This is an essential part of the college experience and is often a major factor in the ultimate academic success of students. Advisor meetings are required in order to register for classes.
Pre-Season Academic Seminars: During pre-season camps and/or the first week of classes, athletes may participate in seminars addressing topics such as time management, study skills, class participation, student/faculty relationships and test-taking strategies.
Career Services Visit For Undeclared Majors: Incoming students who have not yet declared a major or who may be unsure of their chosen major are highly encouraged to visit the Career Services Office.
Referrals For Services to the Department of Developmental Studies: Student-athletes are strongly encouraged to make use of the Department of Developmental Studies’ services in regard to tutoring or other needs for specialized instruction.
Referrals For Services to the Counseling and Advisement Center: Trained counselors/faculty advisors are available to help with psychological/academic counseling/advisement issues.
Library Tour: A library tour is highly recommended of all incoming student-athletes.
Personal Computer: Each student-athlete is strongly encouraged to have access to a networked personal computer.
After the 2008-09 academic year, the overall grade-point average (GPA) of student-athletes was 2.88. The student-athlete GPA is on par with the Kutztown general student body GPA of 2.98. More impressively, while joining their new classmates in adjusting to life away from home — with the added adjustment to college athletics — freshman student-athletes had a 2.57 GPA. That mark was 0.11 higher than that of the overall freshman class.
Perhaps the greatest accomplishment by Golden Bear athletes is the rate at which they are graduating from college. The most recent six-year graduation rate for student-athletes is 68 percent, 16 percentage points higher than that of the overall student body. This data is based on students entering college in 2002-03.
Golden Bear student-athletes also placed record-breaking numbers on the fall and spring dean’s lists in 2008-09. In the fall, a school-best 90 student-athletes earned Dean’s List recognition, and in the spring 105 Golden Bear student-athletes garnered Dean’s List honors. A student-athlete makes the Dean’s List by compiling a 3.6 or higher semester GPA. (see page 3 Dean’s List).
Additionally, KU placed 121 Golden Bears among the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Scholar-Athlete list in 2008-09. In order to be eligible for the PSAC Scholar-Athlete Award, a student-athlete must attain at least a 3.25 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) and compete in an intercollegiate varsity sport.
Kutztown also placed 52 student-athletes on the DII Athletics Directors Association (DII ADA) Academic Achievement Awards presented by WeatherPORT.
To be eligible for the DII ADA Award, the student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher, have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work and have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year.
Academic Accomplishment Recognition
The Department of Athletics has developed a comprehensive program to provide incentive for and acknowledgement of the many academic accomplishments of its student-athletes. Below are some examples of the program.
Awards and Honors: KU student-athletes are nominated for all available NCAA, PSAC and CoSIDA awards.
Scholar-Athlete Banquet: Each year, the PSAC Scholar-Athletes are recognized at a banquet in their honor.
Dean’s List Ceremony: All Kutztown University student-athlete dean’s list recipients are acknowledged at a basketball game every year.
