Stanford Receives Academic Achievement Award

Submitted by Mike Eubanks, Stanford Athletics

The American Football Coaches Association today announced that Stanford will receive the AFCA’s 2012 Academic Achievement Award, which is presented by the Touchdown Club of Memphis. Stanford recorded a 100 percent graduation rate for members of its freshman football scholar-athlete class of 2005, as measured by the NCAA’s Graduation Success Rate (GSR). Northwestern also achieved a 100 percent GSR and will share the award with Stanford.

“We’re very excited to have received this award,” said Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw. “It is a direct reflection of the principles upon which Stanford was founded, to achieve excellence in everything we do – on the field, in the class room and in our lives after we graduate.”

The Academic Achievement Award will be presented at the AstroTurf President’s Kickoff Luncheon on Monday, January 7 at the 2013 AFCA Convention in Nashville.

This year’s award marks the fifth time the GSR formula has been used to select the winner. Since 2008, the criteria for the AFCA’s Academic Achievement Award has been based on the highest NCAA GSR, at least 15 students in the GSR Cohort, and a Federal Graduation Rate of 75 percent or better. 

Based on a six-year graduation window for student-athletes, the GSR was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes. The GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer students and also accounts for mid-year enrollees. 

The Academic Achievement Award was established by the College Football Association in 1981. The award recognized the CFA-member Football Bowl Subdivision institution with the highest graduation rate among members of its football team. When the CFA disbanded in 1997, the AFCA stepped in to present the award and conduct a graduation rate survey that encompassed all members of the FBS.