Academic Achievement Award

STANFORD, Calif. - For the fourth time in the past five years, Stanford has been named the winner of the American Football Coaches Association's (AFCA) Academic Achievement Award, which is presented by the Touchdown Club of Memphis.
 
The Cardinal shared the honor with Northwestern and Miami (Fla.).
 
Stanford recorded a 100 percent graduation rate for members of its freshman football student-athlete class of 2009.
 
The award will be presented at the AFCA's convention on Jan. 9 in Nashville, Tennessee.
 
This year's award marks the ninth time the NCAA's Graduation Success Rate (GSR) formula has been used to select the winner. From 1981 to 2007, the award was presented based on a formula used by the College Football Association and AFCA. Since 2008, the criteria for the AFCA's Academic Achievement Award is based on the highest NCAA GSR, at least 15 students in the GSR Cohort, and a Federal Graduation Rate of 75 percent or better.
 
The GSR is based on a six-year graduation window for student-athletes which is a change from the five-year window used by the CFA and AFCA. The GSR was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes. The GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer students, unlike the federal graduation rate. The GSR also accounts for midyear enrollees.