NCAA Recommends Temporarily Suspending APR Penalties

Troy Taormina | USA TODAY Sports

The latest NCAA adjustment during the COVID-19 pandemic gives schools a free pass on poor performance in the classroom.

The Division I Committee on Academics is recommending the suspension of Academic Progress Rate (APR) penalties for the next two years. The strains of the pandemic have put an extra burden on all students. This move would ensure the athletes are not punished on the field for their team’s lack of success in the classroom.

“The committee believes that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our higher education institutions warrants temporary relief from the penalties associated with the Academic Performance Program,” said committee chair John J. DeGioia, president at Georgetown. “We recommend the board recognize the challenges faced by schools and students engaged in intercollegiate athletics and provide relief at this difficult time.”

It’s one of a few steps the NCAA has taken to alleviate the scholastic burden. They previously waived the standardized testing requirement for athletes to make it through the NCAA Clearinghouse.

Before making this move, programs could be punished with a postseason ban if they failed to reach a certain GPA or graduation requirement. While suspending the APR rule and its consequences, the NCAA will review the policy’s effectiveness.