ANN ARBOR—University of Michigan Provost Teresa A. Sullivan announced today that Philip R. Hughes will head the University’s Academic Success Program in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.

As assistant provost and associate athletic director, Hughes will lead the comprehensive network of academic support programs that ensure a top-quality academic experience and encourage a high level of achievement among student-athletes. Hughes will assume the directorship of ASP on June 8, 2009.

“The university’s first responsibility is ensuring our students’ academic success. I am pleased that Mr. Hughes has accepted this position, and am fully confident he will lead the Academic Success Program with great skill,” said Sullivan. “His appointment maintains focus on academic programming and provides the long-term vision this critical area warrants. He will be a great addition to the university’s academic administrative team.”

Hughes has served as associate director of athletics for student services at Kansas State University since 1998. He also served in 2007?2008 as president of the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics, which awarded him the 2005 Lan Hewlett Award for his excellence in academic advising and service to student-athletes. Previously, he served as U-M assistant director and associate director of athletics (1991?1994 and 1994?1998, respectively), following earlier academic support positions at Tulane University and the University of Kentucky. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California in San Diego, and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from the University of Kentucky.

“We owe the best to our students athletes. They work hard and do a great job both in the classroom and through athletic competition, and we want to ensure they can do even better in the future,” said Athletic Director William C. Martin. “Phil is already familiar with our academic support programs, having helped shape them in the 1990s. I expect him to hit the ground running when he gets back here to Michigan in June.”

Since 2004, the University has redoubled efforts to ensure the academic success of student-athletes by:

? Engaging the Provost’s Office in a more active management role of student-athlete academic support programs.

? Creating a center for academic support of student-athletes which houses all relevant services in one accessible location.

? Expanding the range of academic opportunities that student-athletes take advantage of within the University’s 19 schools and colleges.

In 2005, a dual-reporting line?to the university provost and the athletic director?was established for ASP. Simultaneously, U-M completed construction of the 38,000-square-foot Stephen M. Ross Academic Center, a centrally located academic support facility for student-athletes (additional information below).

In 2008, ASP initiated the summer academic program for incoming football and basketball team members. The program plays a key role in academic enrichment for students, especially transition from high school to the rigorous demands of competing at the highest levels in the classroom and within the students’ athletic activity.

That same year, in recognition of the growing complexity of ASP, the provost and the athletic director moved to restructure ASP leadership with a single director, who will focus full-time on the administration and management of ASP operations. The position will report directly to the provost, the university’s chief academic officer, and indirectly to the athletic director.

“It is a tremendous honor, both professionally and personally, to join the university’s long-standing commitment to student-athlete development and education,” said Hughes. “This is an exciting time at Michigan, and I seek to contribute my experience to the continuing enhancement of student-athlete success within the classroom and overall campus community. Michigan’s dedication to student-athlete progress is outstanding and I am truly excited to participate in this essential effort.”

David Potter, chair of the U-M faculty Senate Advisory Committee of University Affairs, who chaired the ASP director’s selection committee, said: “The selection committee enthusiastically and unanimously supported Mr. Hughes’ candidacy. Given the intense demands on our student athletes, it is appropriate that a comprehensive academic support network be in place to ensure their academic success. Mr. Hughes is one of the nation’s most highly regarded academic support professionals. We believe he will work with ease at the intersection of academics and athletics and remain vigilant to the well-being of our students.”

U-M’s student-athletes do well academically. Some highlights:

? 296 (41%) of U-M student-athletes held a cumulative GPAs at or above 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in academic year 2007?2008.

? In 2006?2007, 146 U-M student-athletes won the Academic All-Big Ten Conference Award as letter-winners with cumulative GPAs of 3.0 or above.

? In that same year, 19 of our 25 varsity teams had a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

? The graduation rate among U-M’s student-athletes has risen since 2000, from 68 percent to 84 percent in 2008. (http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/inst2007/418.pdf) In that same time period, graduation rates among all U-M undergraduates grew from 82 percent to 88 percent. The national average college graduation rate is in the range of 50-55 percent.

? At U-M, the graduation rate for all African American undergraduate males is 68 percent. It is 71 percent for all African American student-athletes on the football team.

? The graduation rate of student-athletes at U-M is among the highest in the Big Ten Conference, as measured by the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate scale. U-M football players rank No. 3 in the Big 10 on the APR scale.

A five-year glimpse at the entering football class of 2002?2003:

? 21 total entering student-athletes

? 6 left the team prior to exhausting eligibility (4 transferred in good academic standing to other universities; 2 quit)

? 15 exhausted their eligibility

? Of those 15, 13 have graduated (86.6 percent)

? 8 out of 10 African American students in that same class, who exhausted their eligibility, graduated (80 percent)

? 107 student-athletes graduated in 2006-2007 in 30 different degree programs/concentrations. The 25-member Michigan football senior class of 2006-2007 graduated with 11 different academic majors/degree programs.

The Stephen M. Ross Center

Hosts

? Regular meetings between student-athletes and their academic advisors (academic advisors are staff from the University’s schools and colleges) to discuss academic requirements for graduation, major or distribution, or topics regarding their academic standing with the University

? Academic tutors available at both scheduled and on-call hours in more than 27 subject areas

? Regularly scheduled meetings of select College Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) classes

Houses

? 8 supplemental academic counselors who collaborate closely with the academic advisors to help student-athletes navigate the demanding path between their athletic and academic responsibilities. Academic counselors are Athletics Department staff with a dual-reporting structure to the Athletic Director and the Provost.

? Satellite offices of the LSA Advising Office, and of the university’s Math Lab, Language Resource Center, Sweetland Writing Center, and Career Center

? A full time learning specialist

? An extensive Life Skills program assisting in career development and community outreach