INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – University of Portland athletics posted a 93 percent student-athlete Graduation Success Rate (GSR) according to the latest data released by the NCAA on Thursday. Figures released today reflect graduation numbers among student-athletes who entered school in 2014.
It marks the 10th consecutive year that Portland posted a GSR above 90 percent as a department.
"I continue to be impressed by our student-athletes as we strive to provide the best collegiate athletic and academic experience possible," Portland Vice President for Athletics, Scott Leykam said. "Receiving a University of Portland degree is a special achievement and doing so while balancing the commitment of being a Division I student-athlete is particularly challenging. It takes a great number of people and support resources to achieve a 93 percent graduation rate and I applaud our students, coaches and support staff in creating a culture of success and excellence here on The Bluff."
Portland's men's soccer, women's cross country and track & field, women's tennis and women's volleyball each posted perfect team scores during the most recent cohort. Eight of the 11 Pilot teams represented in the data posted a score of 90 percent or better.
The Division I Board of Directors launched the GSR in 1998 in response to college and university presidents who wanted data that more accurately reflected the mobility of college students than the federal graduation rate. The federal rate counts any student who leaves a school as an academic failure, no matter whether he or she enrolls at another school. Also, the federal rate does not recognize students who enter school as transfer students.
The GSR formula removes from the rate student-athletes who leave school while academically eligible and includes student-athletes who transfer to a school after initially enrolling elsewhere. This calculation makes it a more complete and accurate look at student-athlete success. The federal graduation rate, however, remains the only measure to compare student-athletes with the general student body.
