Rutgers Football Earns AFCA Academic Honor
Dec 11 | Football
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (December 11, 2009) — The Rutgers football program is one of 41 schools to earn the 2009 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Academic Achievement Honorable Mention Award. The 2009 award reflects the academic success of the class that entered in the Fall of 2002.
This year’s award marks the second time the NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate (GSR) formula has been used to select the winner. From 1981 to 2007, the award was presented based on a formula used by the College Football Association and AFCA.
The Academic Achievement Award was established by the College Football Association in 1981. The award recognized the CFA-member Football Bowl Subdivision institution with the highest graduation rate among members of its football team. When the CFA disbanded in 1997, the AFCA stepped in to present the award and conduct a graduation rate survey that encompassed all members of the FBS.
The GSR is based on a six-year graduation window for student-athletes which is a change from the five-year window used by the CFA and AFCA. The GSR was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes. The GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer students, unlike the federal graduation rate. The GSR also accounts for mid-year enrollees.
Under GSR calculation, institutions are not penalized for outgoing transfer students who leave in good academic standing. These outgoing transfers are passed to the receiving institution’s GSR cohort. By counting incoming transfer students and midyear enrollees, the GSR increases the total number of student-athletes tracked for graduation by more than 37 percent. The NCAA also calculates the federal graduation rate for student-athletes because it is the only rate by which to compare student-athletes to the general student body.
Rutgers closes out the 2009 season Saturday, December 19 in the St. Petersburg Bowl vs. UCF. The Scarlet Knights look to win their fourth straight bowl as Rutgers plays in its fifth consecutive bowl for the first time in school history. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. with live television coverage on ESPN.
To order tickets to the St. Petersburg Bowl, please visit scarletknights.com or call the Rutgers Ticket Office at 1-866-445-GORU. Fans can also purchase tickets in-person at the Rutgers Ticket Office, located in the Rutgers Athletic Center, Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
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