(Nov. 14, 2018) — The NCAA released the latest Division I graduation rate data today and UTSA Athletics reported a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 82 percent. UTSA has shown an increase in its GSR for five straight reports, as it has climbed from 66 percent to back-to-back years of 80 percent or better.
Additionally, five sport programs ranked at the top of Conference USA in their respective sports by posting a GSR of 100 percent. UTSA sports that had a perfect GSR on the report were women’s basketball, women’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and volleyball. Three other programs ranked in the conference top five of their respective sports. UTSA also posted a GSR above the NCAA average in eight sports.
“We are so proud of our latest GSR numbers,” UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lisa Campos said. “This is a direct reflection of the hard work and commitment from our student-athletes, along with the dedication of our academic services and support staff. We’re pleased that we’re trending in the right direction over the last several reports, and we’re going to continue to focus on ensuring our student-athletes continue to develop into champions in the classroom.”
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The most recent GSR figure comes on the heels of a milestone report for UTSA’s latest Academic Progress Rate (APR) in May. The women’s basketball, men’s golf, women’s golf and volleyball programs received Public Recognition Awards for having multiyear rates in the top 10 percent nationally in their sport. All four programs achieved a perfect multiyear rate of 1,000. Additionally, nine sport programs — women’s basketball, men’s golf, women’s golf, soccer, softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, women’s track & field and volleyball — recorded a perfect 1,000 APR for the 2016-17 academic year, tied for the most in Conference USA.
The Division I Board of Directors created the GSR in response to Division I college and university presidents who wanted data that more accurately reflected the mobility of college students than the federal graduation rate. The federal rate counts any student who leaves a school as an academic failure, no matter whether he or she enrolls at another school. Also, the federal rate does not recognize students who enter school as transfer students.
The GSR formula removes from the rate student-athletes who leave school while academically eligible and includes student-athletes who transfer to a school after initially enrolling elsewhere. This calculation makes it a more complete and accurate look at student-athlete success. The federal graduation rate, however, remains the only measure to compare student-athletes with the general student body.
