IU, Purdue athlete graduation rates above average

INDIANAPOLIS -- IU and Purdue are graduating their student-athletes at a greater percentage than the national rate, but the numbers are below average in basketball.\nPurdue graduated 75 percent of its student athletes, while Indiana was at 65 percent, according to information provided by the schools.\n"Obviously we are proud of our graduation rates overall and that they're higher than the national average," Assistant Athletics Director Jeff Fanter said. "But, specific to some sports, sometimes those numbers can be a bit deceptive because of the number of student athletes that are part of that class. But we're proud that we're higher than the overall average and we want to see those numbers continue to grow higher."\nThe graduation rate for all Division I student athletes has reached 60 percent for the first time since the NCAA began tracking the figures 18 years ago, according to a survey released Thursday.\nThe NCAA's survey covered on-scholarship athletes who entered college in 1995 and graduated within six years.\nAthletic director Morgan Burke said Purdue's sample size was too small to make an impact. Black females graduated at 100 percent, but there were only three.\n"You have to look across at all student athletes for it to mean more," Burke said.\nIndiana failed to graduate a men's basketball player, but there was only one.\n"That number is a bit deceptive, when you have 0 percent and only one player," Fanter said. "And actually, that individual is still in the process of receiving his degree."\nOther graduation rates reported by the Purdue and Indiana for freshmen who entered college in 1995 included:\n• Male: IU, 56 percent; Purdue, 74 percent. Nationally: 54 percent.\n• Female: IU, 79 percent; Purdue, 78 percent. Nationally: 69 percent.\n• Football: IU, 68 percent; Purdue, 69 percent. Nationally: 52 percent.\n• Women's basketball: IU, 83 percent; Purdue, 50 percent. Nationally: 65 percent.\n• Men's basketball: IU, 0 percent, Purdue, 67 percent. Nationally: 36 percent.