A Tougher Stance on Academic Eligibility : NCAA: Convention follows lead of its President’s Commission, endorsing tougher standards for freshmen.

Sending a strong message to high school athletes, the NCAA voted Monday to continue on a path toward tightening academic requirements for freshman eligibility, all but ignoring arguments by the Black Coaches Assn. and others who think such action will adversely affect African Americans.

Despite impassioned arguments by some presidents of historically African American colleges, the membership supported the NCAA’s Presidents Commission on key areas of eligibility rules, known as Proposition 16, during the first day of voting at its 89th convention.

The NCAA agreed to increase the required core high school courses from 11 to 13 by the start of the next school year but delay implementation of stricter entrance exam minimums until 1996-97.

Proposition 16, adopted at the 1992 convention in Anaheim, had called for the new rules to be effective by August. But after considerable protest, the Presidents Commission agreed this year to propose a modified version that would delay part of the requirements so high school athletes would have more time to adjust.

In overwhelmingly rejecting proposals to decrease eligibility requirements, the presidents made it clear that they would not budge on academics.

Freeman A. Hrabowski III, president of University of Maryland, Baltimore County, told delegates that accepting lower test scores is not academically sound.

“It will not ensure students can read,” he said. “We know those with a 700 (Scholastic Aptitude Test) score (can) have serious reading problems.”

The 302 Division I schools went beyond the reform-minded Presidents Commission by adopting stricter requirements for partial qualifiers--athletes who meet some, but not all, eligibility rules.

The complex and confusing series of proposals involving freshmen also saw the membership narrowly reject a fourth year of eligibility for partial qualifiers. The proposed legislation has been defeated six times in seven years.

But the NCAA approved provisions for financial aid and practice time for partial qualifiers, a move seen as an effort to placate opponents of the new rules.

Whether that is enough to satisfy coaches is questionable. A year ago, African American basketball coaches threatened to boycott some men’s games to protest NCAA actions. Although the communication has been better, Monday’s results were the same.

“At this point, it is very disappointing,” said Jim Haney, executive director of the National Assn. of Basketball Coaches. “You do become frustrated and throw up your hands.”

The dichotomy of views was evident at USC, where George Raveling, the former basketball coach who retired in September after a serious car accident, has been an influential member of the BCA.

Whereas Raveling has led the protest against stricter rules, Steven Sample, USC president, led the charge to tighten partial-qualifier requirements.

“This gives us some leverage we wouldn’t otherwise have,” Sample said, adding that he was reasonably pleased with Monday’s decisions.

Taking a hard line, he wanted to implement Prop. 16 in full this August.

The new rules eventually will change the current requirements known as Prop. 48--a 2.0 overall grade-point average and 700 on the SAT or 17 on the American College Testing exam.

Freshmen will be required to earn a 2.5 GPA in 13 core courses and have a 700 SAT or 17 ACT score.

But instead of one minimum, the NCAA will use a sliding index scale to accommodate those who perform better in the classroom or on the test. The scale starts at 2.75 with a 600 SAT or 15 ACT score for partial qualifiers.

“Prop. 16 will set a new standard for years to come,” said Judith Albino, Presidents Commission chairwoman.