The graduation rates of UW-Madison athletes are constantly fluctuating due to student health issues, academic struggle, transfers and turning professional, as in the recent case of former UW-Madison running back Brian Calhoun, say UW-Madison officials.
'We try to work to make sure that all student athletes have the opportunity to have the success in graduating from the University,' said David Harris, director of Academic Services. 'Unfortunately, when you're in a situation where not all your students graduate, you're never fully satisfied.'
With 20 credits needed to graduate, Calhoun announced Jan. 12 he will be entering the NFL draft and putting his degree on hold.
Calhoun's parents both hold degrees. His brother is also working toward a medical degree at Vanderbilt, and Calhoun said education is important to him.
'I knew that I was going to come back and finish college regardless, whether it is this semester or coming back and finishing it later,' Calhoun said. 'I feel like being at school is a different setup, and this is an opportunity for me to play in the National Football League.'
However, Vince Sweeney, senior assistant athletic director, said incidents of student athletes turning pro are rare.
'The percent of students that leave school to become professional athletes is a small percentage,' Sweeney said. 'In football it's bigger, but it does not happen that often.'
Also, though Calhoun said he would return to pursue a degree in sports journalism, not all athletes who turn pro before graduation to later complete their coursework.
'It depends on the individual, it depends on how far along they are in their coursework before they leave to turn professional, it depends on how their professional degree goes' there are so many different factors,' Sweeney said.
The graduation rate of student athletes who were freshmen at UW-Madison in the 1998-'99 academic year was 74 percent men and 92 percent women, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association's website. The year before the graduation rate was 64 percent men and 85 percent women.
Student athletes who choose to turn professional are considered a failure in the overall graduation rate and contribute to the NCAA graduation percentages.
Harris said Athletic Director Barry Alvarez and the Athletic Department work hard to help athletes graduate.
'The strategic plan of Coach Alvarez's game plan is set out as a goal to try to graduate student athletes at a higher rate than the student body,' says Harris.
This has only been achieved once and, according to Harris, is 'certainly a challenge, a challenge we've decided to take on.'
