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i cannot fathom that the major power schools have agreed to this, but i tend to trust stallion. this situation actually bodes well for schools like smu (if it really comes to pass).

Of course, the 4 superconferences may break away from the ncaa and institute their own rules...

As I said last month I have personally checked and a foreign language is required by UT, A&M, TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech and I'm sure just about every other university. SMU has always had a foreign language requirement-you could just opt out by completing the courses in high school, by testing upon arrival at SMU or by taking it in your first few years at SMU

Oh yeah one more important point-while a non-qualifying APR score would not be a death penalty it has the potential to be absolutely devastating to a program after multiple years of failure since all scholarships players are eligible to immediately transfer-see UCONN who has been declared ineligible for 2013 BE and NCAA Toirnaments and last I looked was expected to lose half its returning players

"Mexmustang-see Foreign Language requirement which is already requirement for graduating from Texas High School*" So one semester of four semesters of a foreign language is not a requirement for high school graduation as you said?

"As I said last month I have personally checked and a foreign language is required by UT, A&M, TCU, Baylor, Texas Tech and I'm sure just about every other university. SMU has always had a foreign language requirement-you could just opt out by completing the courses in high school, by testing upon arrival at SMU or by taking it in your first few years at SMU"

SMU (Dedman) hasn't had a foreign language requirement in several years. To my knowledge there hasn't ever been one in Cox, ever. Why would this be an issue if we already currently have this requirement (a two year high school or one year SMU as proposed)? It was true, when I was in school Dedman required it, but the business, engineering and arts did not. I was surprised it was no longer a requirement (including proficiency) at Dedman.

Again can you point out your sources? Mine were my four of my children having just graduated over the last six years from SMU and the university catalogue. The last one last week.

Also, I checked several Schools and degree programs at UT an many do not have a foreign language requirement. Normally UT clearly states that "a two year proficency or classes at UT are required, but many schools omit this statement in their degree plan--one in perticular, the School of Kineseology and Health Education.

Am I missing something?

I have followed SMU required core classes for a decade and I guarantee you there is an SMU foreign language requirement and has been during that entire period. Again you can get the obligation out of the way in high school, you can take a test to place out as SMU or you can take the courses in first few semesters at SMU-There is one right now -its nothing new as you suggest. These are admision requirements for all entering freshman-I'm not talking about major requirements. You probably are looking at requirements for entering a particular college. Here is SMU's requirement

http://www.smu.edu/Admission/Apply/Firs ... quirements

I'm not going through every school in Texas again-but for example here is the requirement for the University of Texas

http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/freshmen/ ... ecommended

Mex,

I took 4 years of Spanish in high school and had to take a proficiency test to get credit for those courses. In other words, yes there is a foreign language requirement at smu. If your kids are fluent in espanol perhaps they took this test during their orientation weekend and didn't deem to mention it to you?

Clown College wrote:Mex,

I took 4 years of Spanish in high school and had to take a proficiency test to get credit for those courses. In other words, yes there is a foreign language requirement at smu. If your kids are fluent in espanol perhaps they took this test during their orientation weekend and didn't deem to mention it to you?

clown, are you a fairly recent graduate?

Well, thank you for setting me straight. My next question then is why are the fuss about what appears to be a non-issue?

PerunaPunch wrote:

Stallion wrote:I find it humorous that just when our academic standards have been lowered to the lowest they have been in 25 years there are more prtedictions of DOOM than ever. Good god-go take a look at our BB roster for next year and chill-its almost an All-Star Transfer team

Just to clarify, academic standards have actually been raised. Applications are way up, and the university is about to implement curriculum changes that may prove more challenging to our student-athletes.

I think what we're seeing from the university is some willingness to be flexible with respect to admissions and some commitment in terms of the services offered to get these kids up-to-speed scholastically with the rest of the general student population.

Being proud of our university, I think everyone on this board gets excited when they see average admission SAT scores climb and university rank climb, and of course we're all maybe even more excited to see when our athletic programs climb the ranks.

According to About.com College Admissions, about 1/2 of those who apply to SMU don't get in. Most students who are admitted have a high school average of A- and a combined SAT score of 1700 or better.

But we need to realize that this overall improvement is a bit of a two-edged sword because as the quality of student raises and our faculty tailors their classes to that "average" student, the disparity between the "average" student and the student-athletes that we're now trying to accommodate is going to grow. And of course, the university is committed to educating every student to a level of knowledge where they can earn a degree.

If we continue to succeed this will be a major new challenge for the university that it didn't have to contend with 25 years ago when they were trying to recruit the "big guy in Chemistry 102" to try out for the football team.

Attended the HOF banquet this weekend and spoke with a lead central figure in the sports program who is intimately familiar with the admission issues. Admission requirements, admission reviews and guidelines were streamlined in the aftermath of the football problem 2 years ago. The variations in the NCAA clearing house standards, which differ between Div. I, II and III schools, have been fully defined and are now understood by all coaches. All coaches are now fully satisfied with both the SMU standards, requirements, procedures and understand the NCAA requirements. Admission issues have NOT been a continuing issue with JJ or LB and were not a factor in the dismissal of Orsini.

On a side note: The NCAA clearing house admission requirements are being raised to a high school GPA of 2.25 commencing in 2014. If that standard had been applied to the 2012 class more that 42 % of all Div.I football players would not have qualified and slightly less than 40% of all basketball players would not have qualified. It appears very clear that recruiting is going to change considerably for the 2014 class as programs are going to be forced to really disregard and not waste time on many kids and concentrate/focus more closely on those who have a chance of qualifying. I am not sure of how many Div.I (FSB) football and basketball scholarships were awarded last year; however, is is frightening to think that 40% will be non-qualifiers causing huge recruiting wars over the greatly reduced 60% talent pool. Also, there will necessarily be a refocus on JUCO kids to survive and have depth. Times will be a changing.

Just to show you I'm not making this up-here is the SMU Admission Catalog from 2008=2009 that includes the Foreign Language requirement. Again in the 1970s-1980s during more than one term my Mom was Head of SMU's Foreign Language Department so whenever I have compared SMU's core to the NCAA core I have taken special notice of the Foreign Language requirement.. There was a time-when SMU admission requirement were an anchor around the neck of SMU athletics that the NCAA required 12 core courses and SMU 15. Now SMU's are pretty much aligned because the NCAA has added 4 core courses. You sometimes see slight differences between liberal arts schools and science/tech schools. For example did you know-looked it up last month that A&M, Tech and Baylor have an addition Math core requirement than SMU-they seem to survive. But that's what SMU is-you can't have special requirements for athletes that are different from the student body

http://smu.edu/catalogs/undergrad/admission.asp

Pocono the real numbers are 38% of football players and 46% of Basketball players will be subject to the Academic Redshirt rules according to an NCAA study. Even more won't qualify in the first place. IThe numbers of BB players that will be affected by all the new rules is going to shoot over 50% There will now be two sliding scales-one for admission which will be much the same and another for freshman eligibility. The good news is that student athletes should be better prepared to perform and to survive during the Academic Redshirt year. It also has to change the way teams recruit-

Admissions criteria is the new "model"

Stallion, thanks for keeping (me) us updated. But, I was not aware that the Academic Redshirt Rule has actually passed. What is the status?

I've also been told that both of us are correct about the foreign language requirement--the answer is that most schools, including SMU do have seperate admission standards for athletes--the NCAA guidelines. Members of the Big 12 and most of CUSA, including SMU have not required student/athletes to have a foreign language requirement for either admission or graduation--(except for OSU that also dropped their literacy requirement). That is the heart of this discussion--creating a foreign language admissions/graduation requirement for athletes where none existed previously, a "side door".

The really good news is that we only have 3 student athletes in summer school making up grades. Whatever we are doing in the learning center is working.

The real concern about the proposed change a foreign langage requirement is not football, but in basketball, as your numbers suggest.

It also my understanding this change has been defered for one year.

Its not a separate admission policy for student/athletes-that would violate NCAA rules. No NCAA school can do that. Poilicy has to be applied to all students. To be a full-qualifier you need to meet all admission reuirements of BOTH a) the NCAA AND b) the university. As I've stated several times SMU's own policy says it is NOT absolutely 100% mandatory to take a foreign language in high school but if you don't in high school -you have to complete the requirement in first few semesters. This is absolutely no obstacle to SMU admitting athletes to our school See FAQ-Admission to SMU for 2012 Class:

"Do I have to take a foreign language class before or after I come to SMU?
A minimum of two years of the same foreign language is required for admission. Students who have not met this requirement will be required to take two semesters of a single foreign language upon matriculation to SMU. Certain majors may require additional foreign language classes at SMU."

http://www.smu.edu/Admission/ConnectWithUs/FAQ