 WCU Alumni Tower |
Western Carolina University is committed to helping its student-athletes both on and off the playing field. WCU treasures its outstanding academic reputation and is equally proud of the tradition of its athletic teams. Realizing the important role that sport plays in the lives of our student-athletes, the Office of Academic Support Services for Student-Athletes, in conjunction with the Office of Academic Advising assist student-athletes with managing their athletic demands without sacrificing their academic careers. WCU Department of Athletics has always understood the primacy of academics and maintains a close working relationship with both offices of academic support.
The Office of Academic Support Services for Student-Athletes reports to the Athletic Director and is committed to: (1) Ensuring that each student-athlete at WCU continues to make academic progress towards graduation as well as maintaining athletic eligibility. (2) Ensuring that every student-athlete be provided the necessary resources needed to be academically successful. (3) Striving to assist each student-athlete with reaching their fullest potential as young adults in achieving their career and life goals. The Academic Support Services staff is responsible for monitoring the academic progress and class attendance of all student-athletes and coordinating the Academic Enhancement Program.
The Academic Enhancement Program offers academic resources to its student-athletes to give them the best opportunity for continued success in the classroom. All first semester freshmen and transfers and any student-athlete who is experiencing academic difficulty is required to participate in the program. Catamount student-athletes are provided with tutorial services, supplemental text and equipment, and educational and career workshops.
The Office of Academic Advising is part of a larger academic support program known as the Office of Advising and Retention Services which has a fundamental responsibility for enhancing the educational experience for all students.
All freshmen athletes are advised by the academic advisor for student-athletes through enrollment in USI 130, Academic and Career Planning, a one-hour elective course. Through this course, students learn about WCU academic programs and policies, NCAA academic regulations, gain a better understanding of the meaning of higher education, learn more about themselves, and make new friends. All student-athletes are advised by the athletic advisor until they formally declare a major.
Exemplifying their commitment to academic excellence, WCU student-athletes posted a 3.00 cumulative GPA and a 3.02 GPA for the Spring 2003 semester. One hundred five WCU student-athletes qualified for the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll, which honors student-athletes who have participated in at least one sport and have earned a 3.0 or better grade point average during the past academic year. Western had four Verizon Academic All-District III honorees, including Jason Whaley, Yoneko Allen, Sara Komosinski and Kyla Deon, and more than 30 student-athletes on the TIAA-CREF SoCon All-Academic teams for winter and spring, posting a 3.2 GPA and participating in at least 50 percent of their team’s competitions.
