The concept is a terrific one, and permits "athletics" to be an additional pathway (rather than an obstacle) to obtaining a good higher education.
I have had student-athletes come to UM who, literally, could not do math. English was only their second language, something resembling a cross between English and Gibberish their first. Hawaii is apparently notorious as a poor high school learning environment, that trying to "excel" is too "white" and so even the "white kids" adopt what are, there, cultural norms which are that academic achievement is practically viewed as arrogance personified and so as a kid in high school, "achievement" is to be avoided at all cost, in order to be "cool."
So I had one from Hawaii (yes, I recruited him).
Imagine, sitting across a table from an 18 year old athlete, best in his national sport division, and trying to explain, literally, basic geometric proofs. And he's a smart kid, he's not stupid at all. He just doesn't know anything. He's not skilled with multiplication. He has no idea how to graphically do either long division or short division. He had a calculator, but he had no idea what the calculator was actually doing. And he could do very little without the calculator. He stared at a Pickett Slide Rule as an alien machine, obviously delivered through a Star Gate, a complete mystery speaking a language he could not comprehend. And this was true to some extent for kids from a variety of geographical locations.
So, this Academic Center puts these kids, literally, in a room where "academic achievement" is, possibly for the first time in their lives, a positive goal. Tutoring, right there on the spot. And while "tutoring" is often looked down upon, its necessary for these young people with handicapped social backgrounds. "Smart" doesn't mean "prepared," and tutoring is exactly that necessary thing to efficiently bridge the gap.
And the location is extraordinary. This is one of those continuing marvels at UM where the interplay of facilities offers a synergistic effect. The Kid can walk from practice, or take a break from practice, and go study. Right there. The time demands on student-athletes are high as it is, and this maximizes the efficiency of their use of their time for the most important purpose -- education.
So, these results are just terrific. It works!
There has been no better time to be a student-athlete at the University of Montana.