Jackson State May Lose NCAA Membership!

[MsippiRattler]

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110223/SPORTS030101/102230346/JSU-football-could-face-loss-NCAA-membership?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home

The Jackson State University football team will be banned from postseason play this fall and the athletic department’s membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association is likely to be restricted by 2012 if the NCAA does not grant a waiver request from the school pleading for relief.

The JSU football team’s Academic Progress Rate, a rolling, four-year figure that calculates academic performance, has fallen below a critical benchmark for the third straight year, according to documents obtained recently by The Clarion-Ledger through a public records request.

That puts the program into the third of the four-step APR penalty ladder, which is a postseason ban. The fourth step is the loss of NCAA membership.

Preliminary APR documents received by the school in October show that JSU will receive a postseason ban when the final numbers are released in May, and the school is on track to lose its membership in 2012......

[superman7515]

Academic lapses put JSU, Comegy on thin ice (http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20110223/COL0504/102230325/1044/news03)


Jackson State finished last football season with an 8-3 record, not bad in any league. Yet, JSU officials chose not to renew Rick Comegy's contract, which means he will enter his last season under contract this fall. That's highly unusual in college athletics.

Now we know why Comegy wasn't extended.

The school faces possible expulsion from the NCAA because of the abysmal academic record of its football team. Too, the football Tigers could face a postseason ban for the coming season.

[JSU02]

The NCAA won't look kindly on the fact the APR scores at Jackson State have been getting worse each year. I do not see a waiver being granted.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

The NCAA requires schools with under-performing programs to create such a plan. In its waiver request, JSU outlined an academic review of the football team and new academic systems in place to help improve the football APR.

The JSU review team found several factors to be the cause of the low APR, including inadequate facilities, limited academic enhancement services, the recruitment of “too many marginal student-athletes academically” and players dropping out of school after their eligibility is exhausted, “especially prevalent with transfers.”

JSU had more than 20 transfers on last season’s football team. Eleven were starters, including quarterback Casey Therriault and running back B.J. Lee.

Three initial observations:

1) Resource-poor HBCUs are at a severe disadvantage as to APR compliance. Compliance departments are usually a fraction of what they are at the BCS conferences, and they cannot afford to do what they do - that is, supply people who almost act as "minders" to make sure athletes are in class and passing.

2) Comegy appears to have transferred his way to having good football teams, which is apparently how he did business in Division II. But Division II doesn't have the APR. Division I does. He should have known better, and been more aware of the extra compliance needed in this day and age in Division I athletics.

3) I don't think Jackson State's Division I membership is in jeopardy. Can you imagine what would happen if an HBCU, with all the financing challenges they face, were the only school in Division I stripped of their membership? And Ohio State, USC and Minnesota have nothing happen to them? It couldn't happen.

[Panther88]

Three initial observations:

1) Resource-poor HBCUs are at a severe disadvantage as to APR compliance. Compliance departments are usually a fraction of what they are at the BCS conferences, and they cannot afford to do what they do - that is, supply people who almost act as "minders" to make sure athletes are in class and passing.

2) Comegy appears to have transferred his way to having good football teams, which is apparently how he did business in Division II. But Division II doesn't have the APR. Division I does. He should have known better, and been more aware of the extra compliance needed in this day and age in Division I athletics.

3) I don't think Jackson State's Division I membership is in jeopardy. Can you imagine what would happen if an HBCU, with all the financing challenges they face, were the only school in Division I stripped of their membership? And Ohio State, USC and Minnesota have nothing happen to them? It couldn't happen.

Nice post and like you, I'm thinking that the powers that be @ JState will get it all together starting immediately. They're too serious about football and academic success(es) overall to allow a temp-fix, ala "txfer U," to creep in and aid in decreasing their APR scores for football.

Head coaches are not only accountable for the level of play but also nowadays for the off the field successes (academics) of their teams.

[superman7515]

The problem being that Phase 3 is already being levied on them which means that they have until this time next year to get their APR average over 900, needing a 981 to get over the hump.


Teams from four schools have received postseason bans since the APR began: Jacksonville (Ala.) State University and the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in football and Centenary College and Portland State University in basketball.

The NCAA isn't going to give preferential treatment to a school who doesn't have the financial resources to pay them off *cough UCONN cough*.

[DFW HOYA]

3) I don't think Jackson State's Division I membership is in jeopardy. Can you imagine what would happen if an HBCU, with all the financing challenges they face, were the only school in Division I stripped of their membership? And Ohio State, USC and Minnesota have nothing happen to them? It couldn't happen.

Ohio State, USC and Minnesota don't have APR's like Jackson State, either, and not even close.

JSU has to take some share of the blame in this matter and if they don't meet the memebership criteria that all 346 schools have to abide by (including the other HBCU's), losing membership privileges is the price of not meeting stated responsibilities.

[TexasTerror]

According to SWAC commissioner Duer Sharp, the SWAC presidents would have to vote to ban JSU from the championship game — a likely scenario if the NCAA hands down the postseason ban.

Isn't the SWAC title game considered a post-season contest? Schools are not allowed to participate in it and the Division I playoffs. Why would the SWAC presidents 'have' to vote on it? Should be a done deal if the NCAA hands down the ban... right?

[TheValleyRaider]

Isn't the SWAC title game considered a post-season contest? Schools are not allowed to participate in it and the Division I playoffs. Why would the SWAC presidents 'have' to vote on it? Should be a done deal if the NCAA hands down the ban... right?

I imagine that's different. The NCAA only says you can't participate in more than 1 postseason. They only have authority over the playoffs, the SWAC Championship is more like a bowl game xtwocentsx

[dbackjon]

I imagine that's different. The NCAA only says you can't participate in more than 1 postseason. They only have authority over the playoffs, the SWAC Championship is more like a bowl game xtwocentsx

No - the post season is the post season. USC is currently banned by the NCAA from postseason, hence no Bowl last year.



BUT, FBS teams can have conference championships and Bowl games, so maybe that is a SWAC decision

[The Eagle's Cliff]

3) I don't think Jackson State's Division I membership is in jeopardy. Can you imagine what would happen if an HBCU lost NCAA membership? It couldn't happen.

That's all that needed to be said. Jackson St has a small budget @$6 million, but SC St's is over $13 million so it's more of a small school problem and less of an HBCU problem. I know Georgia Southern is one of the poorest schools around when you look at our anemic $9 million athletics budget and we had APR problems. Without more resources, we had to create the "minding" jobs at the cost of eliminating other support positions.

Compare the schools above with Delaware's $30 million budget and it's amazing that any of us can compete at all. Here's a link to public school athletics budgets: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/ncaa-finances.htm

[TheValleyRaider]

No - the post season is the post season. USC is currently banned by the NCAA from postseason, hence no Bowl last year.



BUT, FBS teams can have conference championships and Bowl games, so maybe that is a SWAC decision

That is true, I forgot about the USC example. Though perhaps as you point out a conference title game is something different. At least, since the SWAC seems to think their word is what matters on it...

[superman7515]

Compare the schools above with Delaware's $30 million budget and it's amazing that any of us can compete at all. Here's a link to public school athletics budgets: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/ncaa-finances.htm

That's also the entire athletics budget, not just football. Georgia Southern and Jacksonville State for example offer 14 sports (not including cheerleading which the NCAA says isn't a sport), Delaware offers 23.

[WestCoastAggie]

That's all that needed to be said. Jackson St has a small budget @$6 million, but SC St's is over $13 million so it's more of a small school problem and less of an HBCU problem. I know Georgia Southern is one of the poorest schools around when you look at our anemic $9 million athletics budget and we had APR problems. Without more resources, we had to create the "minding" jobs at the cost of eliminating other support positions.

Compare the schools above with Delaware's $30 million budget and it's amazing that any of us can compete at all. Here's a link to public school athletics budgets: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/ncaa-finances.htm

I agree.

[WestCoastAggie]

That is true, I forgot about the USC example. Though perhaps as you point out a conference title game is something different. At least, since the SWAC seems to think their word is what matters on it...

It depends on if the SCG, if it is even happening in 2011, a regular season or post season game, i think.

[Redhawk2010]

Must be nice to have a massive budget like Delaware. SEMO is at about $8 million for its entire athletic department so that's not that much higher than Jackson State it appears.

[superman7515]

Must be nice to have a massive budget like Delaware. SEMO is at about $8 million for its entire athletic department so that's not that much higher than Jackson State it appears.

Some examples of athletic funding directly from the state government:
Delaware State (DSU) - $11,762,505
SEMO - $4,851.00
East Tennessee State - $4,085,207
Idaho State - $3,089,100
South Dakota St - $2,593,864
Northern Arizona - $2,516,538
Jackson St - $1,300,000
North Dakota St - $1,134,543
Portland St - $1,090,503

University of Delaware - $0

If you want a larger budget, send more donations.

[WestCoastAggie]

Some examples of athletic funding directly from the state government:
Delaware State (DSU) - $11,762,505
SEMO - $4,851.00
East Tennessee State - $4,085,207
Idaho State - $3,089,100
South Dakota St - $2,593,864
Northern Arizona - $2,516,538
Jackson St - $1,300,000
North Dakota St - $1,134,543
Portland St - $1,090,503

University of Delaware - $0

If you want a larger budget, send more donations.

I expect these amounts to decrease with Gov's and State houses slashing budgets left and right.

[Franks Tanks]

Some examples of athletic funding directly from the state government:
Delaware State (DSU) - $11,762,505
SEMO - $4,851.00
East Tennessee State - $4,085,207
Idaho State - $3,089,100
South Dakota St - $2,593,864
Northern Arizona - $2,516,538
Jackson St - $1,300,000
North Dakota St - $1,134,543
Portland St - $1,090,503

University of Delaware - $0

If you want a larger budget, send more donations.

Why does the state give DSU so much $ just for athletics?

[TexasTerror]

I expect these amounts to decrease with Gov's and State houses slashing budgets left and right.

Which is why I see issues for schools in Louisiana and Mississippi.

They rely so heavily on funds from the state and institutional support. Those entities will have to turn their funds to academics or there really won't be much worth a hoot to recruit student-athletes to.

[superman7515]

Why does the state give DSU so much $ just for athletics?

That's 85% of their athletics budget. I don't think DSU would be able to remain at Div 1 if the state didn't.

[The Eagle's Cliff]

Some examples of athletic funding directly from the state government:
Delaware State (DSU) - $11,762,505
SEMO - $4,851.00
East Tennessee State - $4,085,207
Idaho State - $3,089,100
South Dakota St - $2,593,864
Northern Arizona - $2,516,538
Jackson St - $1,300,000
North Dakota St - $1,134,543
Portland St - $1,090,503

University of Delaware - $0

If you want a larger budget, send more donations.
"Institutional support" are dollars from the university, which are from the state. Georgia Southern structures it's budget the same way. UD get's a little over $1 million in contributions which is 3.5% of the budget. 78% of UD's Athletics Budget is from state dollars (49.84% direct institutional support + 28.16% Indirect facilities and administrative support)

Delaware receives $23.67 million in state dollars for athletics while Delaware St. receives $12.1 million.

Georgia Southern's budget is 22.32% state dollars and 48% student fees (70.4%) while contributions account for a little more than 6% of the budget.

The primary reason schools at the FCS level is the lack of or relatively small amount of private contributions to athletics.

[No_Skill]

I expect these amounts to decrease with Gov's and State houses slashing budgets left and right.

Well...most states. North Dakota expects to have a budget surplus of $1 billion by this summer.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9ID269O0.htm

[superman7515]

"Institutional support" are dollars from the university, which are from the state. Georgia Southern structures it's budget the same way. UD get's a little over $1 million in contributions which is 3.5% of the budget. 78% of UD's Athletics Budget is from state dollars (49.84% direct institutional support + 28.16% Indirect facilities and administrative support)

Delaware receives $23.67 million in state dollars for athletics while Delaware St. receives $12.1 million.

Georgia Southern's budget is 22.32% state dollars and 48% student fees (70.4%) while contributions account for a little more than 6% of the budget.

The primary reason schools at the FCS level is the lack of or relatively small amount of private contributions to athletics.

Most of UD's money does not come from the state of Delaware though. Although it does recieve public funding, it is privately chartered. Just like all the expansion going on around campus now, UD does not use state money for athletics or construction in order to skirt around paying higher prices under state contracts.

For example:
Delaware jobs: UD, unions not seeing eye to eye on projects (http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110223/NEWS03/102230325/Delaware-jobs-UD-unions-not-seeing-eye-eye-projects?odyssey=mod|mostcom)


Officials at UD, which receives more than $110 million in state support each year, say they have only used privately raised money on recent building projects. But during one of the toughest construction climates in decades, local contractors -- union ones in particular -- have pressured the school to award more of its sizable contracts to in-state firms.

In the fall, union carpenters picketed for weeks at UD home football games and at South College and East Delaware avenues with a banner reading "Shame on University of Delaware."


Gov. Jack Markell's proposed budget calls for UD to receive $111.6 million, a nearly 10 percent cut due mostly to the loss of $10 million in federal stimulus funding. State dollars total less than 15 percent of the university's budget.

[GOODY26]

I think Comgey is gone after this football season.xrulesx

[The Eagle's Cliff]

Well...most states. North Dakota expects to have a budget surplus of $1 billion by this summer.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9ID269O0.htm

Wait...North Dakota is utilizing it's natural resources? What a novel concept.

[TexasTerror]

And Southern may be ineligible for the postseason in football as well...


The Southern football team could also enter into the third phase of penalties, LaFleur said.

In 2008, the football program was docked 8.75 scholarships and four practice hours per week, thanks to a subpar score from its 2006 team.

LaFleur said the football team needed to show three straight years of APR improvement — and although its scores went up from 2007-08, LaFleur said the program “fell short” in 2009, Pete Richardson’s final year as coach.

Like men’s basketball, the football team could face a one-year postseason ban — but because Southwestern Athletic Conference champions don’t compete in the NCAA football playoffs, it’s unclear whether Southern would be banned from the SWAC championship game.

http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/117477023.html?showAll=y&c=y