All three of Arizona’s university athletic directors briefed the regents with an annual update on the financial condition of their programs, the status of student athlete welfare and the effectiveness of NCAA reform efforts.

Each university provided the regents with their school’s report and certified that all student athletes have met the minimum grade point average requirement.

The universities have also started evaluating the Academic Progress Report and the Graduation Success Rate of student athletes based on the NCAA’s recently implemented criteria.

Jim Livengood, the UA athletics director, said the department is considering past weaknesses and is happy with the progress it has made.

The UA’s first priority is for its student athletes to excel academically while retaining its position as a competitive Pacific 10 Conference school.

“”Success in performance and in graduating is our standard and we are proud of our student athletes for excelling on the field and in the classroom,”” he said.

The graduation rate among UA athletes has decreased and that drop can be attributed to the relocation of the academic support center to the university college, Livengood said.

The department hired two individuals who propelled the academic support center and expanded its support to student athletes.

The past fall semester, there was a 24 percent drop in probation issues among athletes, accounting for the largest drop in UA history, he added.

Keeping the financial costs low remain a priority for the athletics department, Livengood said. When asked by Regent Dennis DeConcini if the athletics department could contribute with a surplus to help the UA, Livengood said that was a goal for the future, but the department was focusing on paying their own expenses.

“”We are headed that way, but need to focus on retaining an equilibrium between top athletic performance and academic achievement,”” he said.