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2 Thursday, February 14, 2002 UNC's Athlete Graduation Rate Declines University officials say the decrease is a short-term problem and rates should increase again in the future. By Will Arey Staff Writer An annual report issued last week by UNC-system officials indicates a one year decline in the graduation rates of UNC-Chapel Hill’s student athletes. While unhappy with the drop, UNC CH officials said they consider the decline a one-time problem and expect improvement in the future. The men’s basketball program endured the most dramatic drop in graduation rates. Only one of three players in the class entering UNC-CH in 1996 graduated, whereas all four members of the class entering in 1995 Gypsy 3-air * Feb 16th 10am-spm wgjSjyr Tarot Readers, Arts and Crafts Sheraton Hotel in Chapel Hill www.gypsyfaire.com • women’s Basketball Experience the excitement of Carolina women’s basketball. B|l Thursday, Feb. 1 4 § 7:00 pm in Carmichael Auditorium 44 UNC faculty/staff and students ■& M admitted FREE with valid UNC OneCard Define Your College Experience l m K Demand VI m Excellence A & Get www.defineit.org ~ info@defineit.org graduated within six years. But the UNC-CH football team also i experienced a downturn. Only nine of j 21 players who entered school in 1996 s have graduated. University officials expressed con- cem and disappointment in response to the report but at the same time stressed i that the decline is a short-term problem. j John Blanchard, director of academ- c ic support programs for athletics, attrib- f uted the graduation rate decline to c coaching changes in various athletic s programs and one class with an unusu ally low graduation rate for football 1 players. c But he also pointed out that the sta tistics do not account for athletes who t transfer out of the program, even if they j graduate from other institutions. a Blanchard referred to the lowered t rates as a “one-year blip” and said grad- j uation rates are expected to improve in [ the future. University “When looking at past and projected rates, we anticipate close to a 76 percent graduation rate next year,” Blanchard said. “One year simply doesn’t tell enough.” Blanchard said the University’s goal is to graduate student athletes at a com parable percentage to the rest of the stu dent body. The overall graduation rate for the class of 1996 was 78.7 percent, compared to 67.6 percent for that class’s student athletes. The situation concerning the men’s basketball team also might not be as dire as it seems, officials said. Blanchard said the two players from the class entering in 1996 who did not graduate both left UNC-CH in good academic standing. He also noted that in the past 15 years, UNC-CH’s basketball program has had a graduation rate of 90 percent. “All four athletes who entered the basketball program in 1995 graduated, and all four who entered in 1997 are on track to graduate as well,” Blanchard said. “a, healthy indulgence,” Downtown Chapel Hill .. ■ ' 1 106 W. Franklin St. lIIC (f (Next to He's Not Here) ■ | ■ // 1| 942-PUMP C' j j North Durham T OUfflO Northgate Mall “ WMI r (Next to Carousel) 286-7868 HOURS: Mon-Sat USOam-llSOpm, Sun 12:00pm-ll:00pm He also said 300 student athletes had a grade-point average of at least a 3.0 in the fall 2001 semester, with 154 of those making the dean’s list. Chancellor James Moeser reiterated Blanchard’s remarks, stressing the tem porary nature of the statistics. “(Lowered graduation rates were) a one- or two-year aberration,” he said. Moeser blamed coaching changes and a lack of stability in the football pro gram for the lowered rates. “I have every confidence it will be back on track, especially with Coach (John) Bunting and his strong emphasis on academics,” he said. Blanchard also emphasized the University’s commitment to high grad uation rates. “We are constantly looking at what is going on and regularly reviewing the academic standing of our student ath letes. “We feel very good about the acade mic progress of our student athletes.” The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu. Developments in the War on Terrorism President Keeps Iraq Options Open ■ President Bush said Wednesday he would consider a wide range of options to oust im pyi rfi Saddam Hussein. Bush did not exclude the possibility w of a military strike to overthrow Hussein, who has jf JCICS pursued weapons of mass destruction. Lindh Pleads Innocent to Indictment ■ John Walker Lindh pleaded innocent Wednesday to conspiring to kill Americans and then was denounced as a traitor in an emotional outpouring outside court by the family of a slain CIA officer who had questioned him in Afghanistan. Ridge Defends Issuing Terror Warning ■ Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge on Wednesday defended the decision to sound a terrorist alert this week and said his office is working with state and local governments to improve responses to future warnings of possible attacks. Campus Calendar Today 3 p.m. - The Student Chapter of the Society of American Archivists is hosting Steve Hensen, president of the Society of American Archivists and assistant director of the Special Collections Library at Duke University, will speak in the Pleasant’s Room in Wilson Library. Hensen will be dis cussing Executive Order 13233, an act passed by Bush that takes away the pub lic’s freedom to view presidential papers. For the Record The Feb. 13 article “Willett Wins Post of CAA President By Large Margin" incorrectly reported that Kris Willett was the first woman elected to the position of Carolina Athletic Association president when she won the position in Tuesday's election. There have been female CAA presi dents in the past. The Daily Tar Heel regrets the error. LEADERS NEEDED CAMPUS Y needs you! ; Applications for Executive Committee (6 open positions) due March 1 4 ; Applications for Committee Co-Chair (36 open positions) due March 28 • Job descriptions and at http://campus-y.unc.edu GJljr Sailg (Ear Heel Items of Interest The Daily Tar Heel is extending its deadline for Community Feedback Board membership. The board consists of students, faculty, staff and town resi dents who critique recent issues of the DTH. Applications can be picked up at the DTH office, Suite 104 of the Student Union, and are due by 5 p.m. Monday. The first CFB meeting will be held Wednesday. All CFB meetings begin at 7 p.m. and are on Wednesdays. On Feb. 20 it will be in the DTH newsroom (Union Suite 104), and on March 6, March 27, April 10 and April 24, they will be in the Frank Porter Graham Lounge in the Student Union. aljc Sailii Sar Mrpl P.O. Box 3257. Chapel Hill. NC 27515 Katie Hunter, Editor. 962-4086 Advertising & Business. 962-1163 News. Features. Sports. 962-0245 One copy per person; additional copies may be purchased at The Daily Tar Heel for $.25 each. © 2002 DTH Publishing Corp. All rights reserved
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Feb. 14, 2002, edition 1
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