The NCAA will release the graduation rates for the student athlete freshman class of 1995-96 within the next few days. OU will have a 38 percent graduation rate in this report.

What most people do not know is how this statistic is generated, said Gerald Gurney, associate athletic director of academic affairs

When the NCAA compiles the report, it does not consider transfer students, professional athletes or athletes who graduate outside of a six-year span.

Graduation rates are based on a comparison of the number of students who entered a college or university and the number of those who graduated within six years, according to the NCAA Web site. For example, if 100 students entered, and 60 graduated within six years, the graduation rate is 60 percent.

The NCAA also states in its explanation of the rates that it is important to note that the rates are affected by a number of factors including students needing more than six years to graduate, students transferring or students being dismissed for academic deficiencies.

These factors, however, are not considered when the reports are compiled.

The graduation rates that will be released based on the 65 student athletes that were freshmen in 1995-96 correspond to the '90s era of instability in the athletic department. During this time positions in coaching and staff were constantly changing.

Because of the changes in leadership, several members of the class did not stay at OU.

In fact, 43 percent of the students transferred to other institutions.

Gurney said that the NCAA is considering changes in the manner of which they describe the graduating trends of student athletes.

The freshman class of 1995-96 only graduated 38 percent, according to the report.

Aside from the 43 percent that transferred from OU in good academic standing, 8 percent left to pursue professional careers in athletics, 3 percent are currently completing their degrees at OU and 5 percent are in good academic standing, but have exhausted their eligibility as a student athlete.

The other 3 percent were suspended from their particular sport.

As for the transfer students, Gurney said that typically when a sport loses a coach, about 33 percent of the athletes will not continue in that program.

During the course of 1995 freshmen athlete's eligibility, the OU football program had three different coaches. Women's basketball, gymnastics, men's golf, soccer, track and field and volleyball all had coaching changes during that span.

Former football head coach Howard Schnellenberger left after the 1995 season. John Blake took over from 1996-98 and then current head coach Bob Stoops began his reign in 1999.

"The 1995 class represents a period of transition," athletic director Joe Castiglione said. "It illustrates what happened during that time. The 1996 class represents what happened when things were becoming more stable."

Although the NCAA is releasing year-old information from the 1995 freshman class, OU has records that begin with the 1996 freshman class.

When the figures for the 1996-97 freshman class are released next summer, OU's rate will jump from 38 percent to 74 percent, the highest in OU's history and might end up leading the Big 12, according to figures from the athletic department.

That class had 69 freshman student athletes, 51 of which graduated and only 12 of which transferred. One athlete left to pursue a pro career and one is currently finishing his degree. Four players were suspended from the sports program.

These reports not only show the impact of stability in the athletic department, but also the impact of the services offered to student athletes.

The OU athletic department has opened the newly remodeled Prentice Gautt Academic Center, which includes approximately 80 full- and part-time employees who work with nearly 500 student athletes.

The NCAA is also considering proposals that would "punish" institutions with low graduation rates. One of the considerations is to prohibit post-season play for certain schools. For example, if a basketball team at any given school made it into the NCAA tournament after its season and the athletic program's graduation rates were down, the team would not be able to participate in the tourney.

The Big 12 already institutes a program like this one, but based on individuals called the "six hour rule."

The rule requires individuals to pass 6 hours per semester with at least a C or higher. If they fail to do so, they are suspended from post season or next season's play.

Other proposals include altering of initial eligibility and incoming eligibility standards.

"I favor proposals that strengthen incoming freshman standards as well as continuing standards," Castiglione said. "I think initial eligibility should be higher. All of us (coaches and staff) fear that one of these will be proposed without the other."

Castiglione said that the biggest issue is that the graduation rates do not reflect what is happening at a university.

"You must be able to measure graduation rates with what is actually happening with the student athletes," he said. "Student athletes have different patterns. Some take more than six years to graduate. Some transfer, and the figures don't always show this."

While the figures coming out this year make OU seem less than up to par, the athletic department is still proud of the accomplishments of the program.

"These numbers are indicative of what a program can do when we support our student athletes academically," Castiglione said.
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