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Robert Morris University Athletics

NCAA Academic Support FAQs

ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY, OFFICE OF ATHLETIC COMPLIANCE


NCAA Academic Support FAQs

Do student-athletes have to meet Robert Morris University academic standards in addition to the NCAA?
Yes, student-athletes must be registered as full-time students and meet the same grade point average (GPA) and graduation requirements just as all other students do. In addition, student-athletes must meet requirements as established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Must student-athletes make progress toward a degree while they are competing for the University?
Yes. According to NCAA rules, a student-athlete must be enrolled in a degree program that he or she can complete within five years of initial enrollment. During the first year (including summer), student-athletes must complete 24 credits at Robert Morris University. To continue to be eligible to compete, student-athletes must have completed the following:
  • Entering the third year, 51 credits
  • Entering the fourth year, 76 credits
  • Entering the fifth year, 101 credits
For a student-athlete to be eligible for competition, at least 75 percent of the minimum number of credits needed to meet the credit-hour requirements must be earned during the regular academic year. Student-athletes must also earn at least 6 credit hours the previous term to be eligible to compete the next term.
Student-athletes are required to be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours to be eligible to compete and practice. If they drop below 12 hours, they are immediately ineligible to practice or compete, and they risk the chance of losing their athletics scholarship.
Do all courses student-athletes take count toward a degree?
No. The same rules apply for student-athletes as apply to other students at the University. The following are the specific guidelines:
  1. Remedial, tutorial, or non-credit coursework: After the first year of enrollment, a student-athlete may no longer use such credits toward meeting degree requirements.
  2. Excessive “free electives” are not considered degree credits. If the credits cannot be applied to the degree program, the credits are not degree credits. However, those credits do count towards a student’s GPA.
  3. Credits that exceed a maximum limitation set by the college or department are not considered degree credit.
  4. Credits that are in a minor or second major and that fall outside the degree requirements are not considered degree credits. (In some cases such credits may fit into the “free elective” category.)
Who determines if a student-athlete is making progress toward a degree at the University?
The Athletic Eligibility Certification Committee, composed of faculty and athletics administrators must certify each year that each student-athlete is making progress in a degree program and can complete the program in five years. All student-athlete academic information certified is provided by the Office of the Registrar.
At what rate do student-athletes graduate from Robert Morris University?
The percentage of student-athletes who graduated in six years from the most recent 4 class average, 69%, compares favorably to the federal graduation rate of all students, 54%. Further, in comparison with other institutions, RMU has a GSR (Graduation Success Rate) of 95% while the average Division I institution is 77%.
What is a Graduation Success Rate (GSR)?
The GSR is the NCAA method of monitoring graduation success while reflecting the mobility of students. The GSR includes student-athletes who have transferred into an institution. The GSR also allows universities to subtract transfers who leave prior to graduation as long as they were academically eligible at that point.
Can coaches contact a faculty member about a student-athlete’s progress in a class?
No. If a coach needs information from an instructor or an advisor regarding a student-athlete, the following process must be used:
  1. The coach contacts the Assistant Athletic Director for Student Services, Sean Simmons, and he may ask for the information.
  2. If Sean Simmons is unavailable or does not respond in a reasonable amount of time, the coach may contact the Athletic Director, Dr. Craig Coleman.
Who advises student-athletes?
All student-athletes are advised by their declared major advisors and advisors within the Center for Student Success. These advisors work with student-athletes as they do with other students. The Assistant AD for Academic Support works with these advisors to help aid student-athletes in meeting NCAA requirements.
University GPA requirements:
The university requires all students to maintain a 1.60 GPA after attempting 12 credits, 1.80 after attempting 24 credits, and a 2.00 GPA after attempting 48 credits. If any student falls below any of these standards, they are placed on academic probation and no longer in “good academic standing” with the institution. A student-athlete who is not in good academic standing is ineligible for competition until they regain good academic standing with RMU.
Is it permissible for faculty or staff to give student-athletes “extra benefits?”
No. Extra benefits are not allowed. If a benefit is not available to all students, it cannot be given to a student-athlete. If, a benefit is available to all, it may be given to a student-athlete.
What constitutes an extra benefit?
An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or booster to provide a student-athlete, prospect or their relatives or friends a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. Examples include:
  • Permit a procedure not generally available to all students (e.g. retake exam or do extra work for extra credit)
  • Preferential grading for student-athletes
  • The use of a copying machine or typing services that are not available to the general student body
  • Give or loan cash; sign or cosign for a loan
  • Offer any gift (e.g., birthday / holiday gift)
  • Provide use of an automobile
  • Provide free or reduced rent or housing
Is allowing a student-athlete to make up work for missed class-time an extra benefit?
No, if the missed class falls within the recommended guidelines of University policy, which allows student-athletes to miss class for competition or for travel associated with competition. Missed classes for practices, team meetings, or individual meetings with coaches are not allowed.
Who approves the schedules and the number of class days missed?
The Faculty Athletic Representative reviews and approves the schedules for every team each semester.
What is the role of the faculty representative?
The Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) is a tenured faculty member selected by the president to represent the University and its faculty in the University’s relationships with the NCAA and the Northeast Conference.
How will an instructor know whether a student-athlete is missing for a sponsored event or is just not coming to class?
At the beginning of each semester, student-athletes are provided an Intercollegiate Athletics Team Travel Letter that includes all potential travel dates for that semester. It is the student-athlete’s responsibility to submit the letter to each instructor by the end of the first week of classes for each term.

ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY

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