NCAA board discusses academic reform

INDIANAPOLIS - The NCAA board of directors met Thursday and discussed academic reforms that would place more emphasis on GPAs than standardized tests. <br> <br> The proposal would extend the sliding scale for freshman eligibility, allowing student-athletes with higher GPAs to qualify with SAT scores that are lower than the current requirement of 820. <br> <br> The board began discussing the issue in earnest at its January convention in Indianapolis after an NCAA study indicated that student-athletes with higher GPAs and lower test scores were more likely to graduate than those with lower GPAs and higher test scores. <br> <br> In April, the board asked the Management Council to approve legislation that could be voted on at its Oct. 31 meeting. <br> <br> The proposal also calls for increasing the amount of core courses from 13 to 14. <br> <br> The board also asked the Management Council to propose guidelines that would create incentives and penalties based on a sports team&#39;s academic performance. Penalties could include the loss of scholarships or eligibility for postseason play. <br> <br> Outgoing NCAA president Cedric Dempsey could not be reached for comment Thursday.

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