Miami Ohio University Athletics
Graduation Rate Success of Miami University Athletics Soars
10/31/2007 12:00:00 AM | General
Oct. 31, 2007
OXFORD, Ohio-- - Miami University's student-athletes are performing extraordinarily well in the classroom, and the most-recent class is among the highest in the nation according to the latest Federal Graduation Rates (FGR) report.
The recent FGR figures show that 85 percent of Miami's student-athletes who began college in 2000-01 graduated within the six years permitted by the formula, up six points from the year before (1999-00) and a full 20 percent from just three years earlier (1997-98). Only student-athletes receiving athletics aid are included in the NCAA's reports.
What makes Miami's graduation rate for student-athletes particularly impressive is that Miami University's graduation rate for undergraduates is the ninth highest in the nation for public universities, and for the first time since the Federal `Student-Athlete Right to Know Act' required universities to report graduation rates for their student-athletes, the graduation rate of Miami student-athletes (85 percent) exceeds the lofty benchmark of Miami University's general student body (81 percent). Last year, the national average for Division I student-athletes was 63 percent, while the general student body of Division I schools graduated at a rate of 61 percent.
"Miami's student-athletes continue to demonstrate that intellectual and athletic excellence are compatible and not mutually exclusive," said Brad Bates, MU's Director of Athletics. "Our student-athlete population has achieved a milestone that surpasses the ninth-highest, public-school graduation rate in the nation: our student body. This achievement takes place as we enter a weekend where our football, volleyball and field hockey teams are playing for the championship, our soccer team just earned an invitation to the conference championship tournament, and our ice hockey team is ranked first in the nation."
Overall, Miami University ranks ninth nationally among NCAA Division I public state universities at 81 percent (six-year graduation rate), a rate 12 points above the expected rate of 69 percent that is based on the qualifications of MU's students.
"We are proud of the way that our student-athletes perform on the field and in the classroom," said Dr. David Hodge, President of Miami University. "They embody our idea of engaging the whole student in their collegiate experience, leading to greater success during and after their years at Miami."
A four-year history of Miami University's graduation success rate (GSR) shows that the general student body has remained steady at 80 to 81 percent for that period, but that the GSR of MU's student-athletes has improved dramatically. In 1997-98, RedHawk athletes' GSR was 65 percent. It rose six points the following year to 71 percent, eight more points to 79 percent for the freshman-class of 1999-00, then six additional points to 85 percent for the most-recent graduates.
Breaking down the GSR by gender shows that Miami's most recent female student-athletes graduated at a rate of 92 percent, with men graduating at 78 percent. The gender comparisons for Miami's general student graduates showed that MU women graduated at 82 percent and men graduated at 80 percent.
