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Presidential Task Force Review
Friday Clemson will release the results of the Presidential Task Force that reviewed the AARC. Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips met with about 30 employees and officials to reveal the results. The meeting included the head coaches of all of the sports and assistant coaches in some sports. It also included several members of the AARC and the Athletic Council.

I had a chance to have three conversations with some that attended the meeting and received more of their interpretation and less specifics about the new policy. Here is what I have learned according to the three that were in attendance:

*One person who attended the meeting told me, “It wasn’t a slam dunk but it was a pretty good jumper.”

*Another said, “It is not perfect but it is much better than what we had in place. I think it is about all we could ask for.”

*A third person that attended told me, “I thought it was a fair compromise.”

The three were not able to get too much into specifics with me but all three gave the impression that the new policy is in line with the university admission policies and remains in line with the guidelines that were giving to the NCAA during the certification process in 2001.

I was told that the policy refers to the student handbook and the university’s policies of the past. But they added that were more opportunities for a prospect to get in if turned down by the AARC. One source said the policy would place a lot more emphasis on character issues and not just academics. I was told there still may be a chance a prospect gets through the clearinghouse and not allowed to enroll at Clemson but that might be more of a case of character as opposed to academics. The way I took the information is that there are more opportunities now and the AARC is not going to have the power to hamper as much as it did this past season.

It is my understanding that the admission process will somehow be tied to each sports Academic Progress Report (APR) and graduation rates. The new policy will also look at academic data from several ACC and SEC schools and make adjustments to the policy based upon their APR and their academic data.
It is my understanding that the athletic department will have a representative on the AARC in the new policy. Last year this was not the case.

All that I talked to were very surprised that the current members of the AARC will remain in place. They were expecting some personnel changes to the committee.

No one that I talked to had any idea what time Friday this will come out. They were not sure if the university was going to have a press conference or just send out a press release with statements. I am not sure who is scheduled to be in town Friday so I am not sure who would be in attendance at a potential press conference.

My initial reaction was skeptical when I heard the Friday release date because often bad news is released Friday at 4:00 PM so no one is there to answer questions until Monday. But if everything I am hearing is correct then this will not be a factor.

Now please understand that there has to be some company lines here. There will be some spin because they have to appeal to the other sides. I would expect some rhetoric and that should be expected and is acceptable. The real answers are in the issues and policies. It sounds as if the policies are a little better than I expected. However, I think it is only fair to judge the new policies after we hear them Friday and have time to digest them.

I wish I could have gotten more specific details but all who attended the meeting had to hand their releases back in and could not leave the room with the hard copy.

Once the president announced the Presidential Task Force was in place to review the AARC I think I have been pretty fair and waited to judge the end result. I would like to thank the readers for doing the same. If I find out more details before Friday I will post updates on the blog but it appears specifics will have to wait until Friday. Thanks for your patience.

Surprise Visitor
I was at the McFadden Center Wednesday and looked up to see a face I thought I would never see in the building. Georgia head football coach Mark Richt was roaming the hall of the Clemson football office. No, Clemson has not stolen the Bulldogs coach. Richt was with his wife and son as they toured the facilities and met with some staff members. Richt’s son Jon is a junior quarterback that has committed to Clemson. Georgia ended their spring practice Saturday with their annual G-Day game.

I had a brief conversation with Richt and his family and thanked him for coming on the radio show last week. I was impressed by Jon and both of his parents and it appears Clemson is getting a high character prospect from a great family.

Comments:

Thanks for the update. Looks like there will be good news for recruiting and the future of CU sports.

Posted by <a href=http://tigernet.com/view/profile.do?id=66102>Father G</a> on April 12, 2007 at 07:24 AM EDT #

I want to see ONE admission standard for every applicant, athlete or not. I'm not big on lowering admission standards just because someone is a good athlete.

Posted by <a href=http://tigernet.com/view/profile.do?id=37189>baseball fan</a> on April 12, 2007 at 08:50 AM EDT #

And what standard would that be, baseball fan? Purely academic? Because that is not the sole standard for regular students.

Posted by <a href=http://tigernet.com/view/profile.do?id=10489>MyBloodRunnethOrange</a> on April 12, 2007 at 09:14 AM EDT #

Maybe if we can Bowden after this season, we can talk Richt into coming to Clemson to coach his son?

Posted by <a href=http://tigernet.com/view/profile.do?id=27562>NCTiger1990</a> on April 12, 2007 at 11:25 AM EDT #

As a senior at Clemson University, I was personally invited and asked to sit in on the official release of the Task Force results and the Terry Don/Dori Helms Press Conference to the Media.

I was personally invited because as a student, I feel intricately woven into the football team. I personally climbed and took down the goalposts after the FSU win in 2003, I sit front row during every home game, and I travel to most every away game. I burn orange and do everything I can to support Clemson Football and other athletics. I was asked to sit in on these official hearings because the faculty and professors know and understand my love for Clemson. I was asked to give an HONEST assessment of the Academic/Athletic debate and therefore, I was granted access to everything surrounding the release of the Task Force's findings.

In one word, I can say I'm: SATISFIED.

I believe Clemson University has taken a BOLD STEP in instituting change and admitting failure during the 2007 Signing Day fiasco. I personally believe Clemson has come out stronger and truly united as ONE CLEMSON on both the academic and athletic sides of the ball.

Clemson is taking an unprecedented step as one of the very first schools in the nation to incorporate the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate (APR) and Graduation Success Rate (GSR) into the admissions process. This fantastic step means Clemson values the NCAA's core goal of Academic Integrity. Clemson will now strive to remain tops in both the APR and GSR. This is HUGEEE because if Clemson falls below the NCAA established rate of 925 in the APR or fails to successfully uphold the standards of the GSR, then CLEMSON WILL LOSE SCHOLARSHIPS..up to 10% of them for failure to uphold the NCAA standards of APR and GSR. As I personally heard Terry Don Phillips say in his press conference, "If you want to be disadvantaged, start losing scholarships". This is why we as fans, boosters, and even critics need to rally together and support CLEMSON UNIVERSITY...not just athletics. If our Athlete's Academics aren't strong, our football program won't consistently rank in the top 25. We won't continue to recruit top 25 classes. We'll fall into the mediocre category that some fans began placing us in when this crisis broke out.

This AARC situation is behind us and we must now push forward knowing that CHANGE IS IN EFFECT...we will pave the way for other schools in the country. Clemson is now STRONGER after coming through this ordeal. Clemson will now add an Athletics Representative (appointed by the A.D.) to serve as an Ex-Officio to the AARC. Vickery will gain a new Admissions Officer Position to handle transfers and international students who come to Clemson as athletes. THINGS ARE CHANGING because President Barker stood up and called for change.

It is important to clearly understand that the academia side of Clemson never intended to put our football team in the position they found themselves in on National Signing Day. I personally heard Dori Helms say yesterday, "I would have reviewed this recruiting process even if there hadn't been a public outcry." I also heard her apologize and say that they were trying to do the right thing all along. She stated that their policies concerning recruits were, "right-hearted, but wrong-headed" now that they can look back on things. We must move forward knowing that CLEMSON is SOLID ORANGE and a top 35 public university that has a national reputation for both academics and athletics!!

Having seen the press conference, I know and fully believe that we have reached a happy Medium. Bowden has released a statement in support of the proposed changes and Barker has said they will be implemented. I sat as Terry Don Phillips said, "I believe our coaches now feel very good about this process". That's HUGE and VERY POSITIVE!!

Clemson Faithful, let's rise up and remain united in supporting Clemson on all fronts. We are moving forward in the right direction and this is much needed opportunity for everyone to STAND TOGETHER and support Clemson University...yes, Athletics and Academics.

We are all privileged to be able to step foot on this campus in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Let's all remain united and let's cheer loudly "that our roar may echo o’er the mountain height!!"

A Faithful Fan,
B.W.C

Posted by <a href=http://tigernet.com/view/profile.do?id=67230>solidorange07</a> on April 14, 2007 at 10:36 PM EDT #

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