Student Athletes
Are you working with a student-athlete? Because of their game schedules and NCAA academic regulations, you may encounter some unique issues you do not encounter with other students. This section is a quick reference to some of those issues.
Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Academic Achievement Center
Forsythe Athletics Center 239
AchievementCenterforAthletics@missouristate.edu
417-836-6829
The Achievement Center (DMJWAAC) is a great resource for student-athlete related questions. Some of the items that DMJWAAC works with include:
- Monitoring of NCAA academic requirements related to eligibility
- Study halls, tutoring, and developmental workshops for student-athletes
- Course scheduling assistance (student-athletes have less flexibility on course times due to practice requirements)
- Academic support and supplemental academic advising related to eligibility
Class Attendance
The university’s attendance policy asks instructors “to be reasonable in accommodating students whose absence from class resulted from: (1) participation in University-sanctioned activities and programs…” Student-athletes are given “travel letters” as soon as possible at the beginning of each semester, and it is recommended that they provide a copy to each of their instructors at the first opportunity. These letters contain contact information for instructors with concerns as well as a detailed list of all travel that will impact class attendance during the semester. The goal is to create a dialogue as soon as possible so the students and instructors can communicate about how each absence should be handled. While every effort is made to provide an accurate travel schedule by the first day of the semester, there can be instances where the schedule is unavailable at that time or travel plans are adjusted later in the semester. The staff of the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Academic Achievement Center will communicate any updates to instructors in a timely manner and can also answer questions related to an individual student’s travel situation. If an instructor has any questions or concerns related to a student-athlete, it is recommended that they contact the staff of the DMJWAAC for assistance or clarification. Student-athletes sign FERPA releases at the beginning of each academic year, giving their instructors permission to communicate with staff members of the DMJWAAC and vice versa. Those releases are kept on file and copies can be provided to instructors upon request.
Things To Know About Advising Student-Athletes
When advising a student-athlete, please keep in mind that NCAA eligibility can be very tricky to navigate in some circumstances. The staff of the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Academic Achievement Center welcomes any questions or concerns related to a student-athlete’s specific academic situation from advisors across campus. Student-athletes must be very careful about many things that may not impact other students, such as the timing of a degree change, repeating courses that have previously been passed, and completing coursework above and beyond what is required for their specific undergraduate degree programs. All of these things are feasible, but student-athletes are told to consult with the DMJWAAC to make sure that they proceed correctly. Like many students, student-athletes may also be restricted from dropping below full-time status in a given semester if they wish to remain a member of their athletic team. All course changes during a semester must be processed by the staff of the DMJWAAC in order to prevent any changes that could impact a student-athlete’s eligibility or scholarship. However, pre-registration for student-athletes is conducted in the same manner as it is for all students on campus.