NCAA Academic Report Hits Black Schools

NCAA President Myles Brand testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, in this Feb. 28, 2007 file photo. The NCAA's latest Academic Progress Report, released Wednesday, May 2, 2007 shows historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) account for about 13 percent of all schools facing potential scholarship losses or receiving warning letters because of poor classroom performance. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) (Susan Walsh - AP)

"What Tulane and these other schools have been through is one of the worst historical situations possible," Brand said. "If Tulane can accomplish that, it's just remarkable."

Brand has committed the NCAA to helping schools improve, through planning and counseling and now with providing grant money for academic projects. Last week, the NCAA's board of directors approved a $1.6 million fund that would offer grants beginning next year.

"We want to help give those schools a jump-start in those academic areas," Brand said.

If a team's score fell under 900, it could lose scholarships based on the number of ineligible players leaving school during the next year. No team could lose more than 10 percent of its allotted scholarships, so football teams would lose up to nine players while basketball teams would lose only two.

Tennessee-Chattanooga and San Jose State were the only two schools received warning letters and also face the loss of scholarships. Each were cited in football. Tennessee-Chattanooga also was penalized in wrestling, while San Jose State was cited in men's soccer.

Florida International's football team, which was involved in a prominent brawl against nearby rival Miami, could lose up to nine scholarships next year, and Georgia Southern, which won back-to-back Division I-AA football titles in 1999 and 2000, also faces potential scholarship losses in football.

Lennon said he expects the results will be more balanced next year, when the NCAA drops a mathematical calculation that helped some BCS teams this year.

Wednesday's report showed women's teams continued to perform better academically than men's teams. Women's teams averaged a score of 970, men's teams 950. Thirteen women's teams were cited, compared with 99 men's squads.

Although no sport averaged less than 925 over the three-year period, football, baseball and men's basketball consistently compiled the lowest scores and most citations.

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Associated Press Writer Rasha Madkour contributed to this report from Houston.