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11/20/06

SLU EXEMPLIFIES SCHOLAR-ATHLETE TREND

CANTON - St. Lawrence University student-athletes outpace their peers in many athletic contests but a new study released by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) shows that they also graduate at a higher rate - an average 25 percent higher - than student-athletes in other Division III programs.

Recently the NCAA released the results of a study showing that athletes at Division I schools outperform their student body counterparts in the classroom. The same is true at St. Lawrence University, by a wide margin, and throughout the NCAA's Division III, in which the University competes in most sports.

For students who entered in 1999-2000, the graduation rate at St. Lawrence University was 75 percent; the average graduation rate for all Division III schools was 63 percent. Within the same period, the graduation rate for St. Lawrence's student-athletes was 83 percent, while the rate for student-athletes at all Division III schools was 57 percent.

The four-class average (including those who entered as first-year students in 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-00) shows St. Lawrence students and student-athletes outperforming their Division III counterparts in every category; the graduation rates in that category follow:

- All students, 62 percent; St. Lawrence, 74 percent
- Student-athletes, 67 percent; St. Lawrence student-athletes, 81 percent

"St. Lawrence University is completely committed to a program of athletics that fully supports and complements a strong academic program," stated Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Margaret Strait. "We believe very strongly in the model of the teacher-coach, and this report shows not only our commitment to that model, but the success that we have had by following it."

On November 9, the NCAA released the results of research obtained from the federal graduation-rate methodology required through the Student Right-to-Know Act showing student-athletes in the entering class of 1999 graduated at a rate of 63 percent, two percentage points higher than the student-body rate. Both percentages are one point higher than the previous year. Every class since 1986 has demonstrated that student-athletes have graduated at rates higher than those of the general student body.

"The academic achievement of our student-athletes continues to improve," said NCAA President Myles Brand. "It is becoming one of our greatest success stories."

More information, including the statistics specific to St. Lawrence, is available at the NCAA Web site.

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More information: St. Lawrence Athletics

"On the Role of Athletics," by President Daniel F. Sullivan, from St. Lawrence magazine