Nicholls State is a good example of how the Academic Performance Program and its Academic Progress Rate are beginning to take hold and create real change in Division I athletics.

The Committee on Academic Performance noted at its January meeting that not only are the most recent APR figures showing improvement, especially in certain sports, but fewer teams are being penalized.

CAP members believe the membership is taking advantage of educational opportunities offered by the national office and partner organizations, and more institutions are constructing and enacting improvement plans designed to involve the entire campus in ensuring student-athlete academic success.

In the first years of APR implementation, Nicholls State had multiple teams receive penalties for poor academic performance. Based on preliminary 2006-07 data, though, only one team is expected to be penalized.

Athletics Director Rob Bernardi said Division I’s academic-reform structure has had a positive impact on his campus, and the institution worked hard to create the changes necessary to improve academic performance.

“The APR has achieved its goal of changing institutional behavior. We have changed how we approach academics, how we recruit and how we manage our student academic-services program,” Bernardi said.

Among improvements at Nicholls State was to move the academic support units from athletics to the provost’s office. The school also used some of the tools and programs already at its disposal, not just for actual academic support but also for ideas and resources.

The athletics department, for example, was able to use the school’s University College program’s retention focus to address its own APR needs.

“Sometimes athletics departments overlook the resources they have on their own campus,” Bernardi said.

The improvement plan the NCAA requires for under-performing teams also helped generate ideas, Bernardi said, especially because of the cross-section of people involved in the process.

The biggest change he’s seen in his campus since the APR was created, he said, is the increased awareness among a variety of constituencies, from the university president and faculty members to boosters, parents and student-athletes.

“At the end of the day, we’re getting better students. There have been some growing pains, but we’re pleased with the improved academic performance of our student-athletes,” Bernardi said.

The Division I Committee on Academic Performance met at the 2008 NCAA Convention. / Stephen Nowland, NCAA Photos.