Academic success trumps athletic success at MCC
James Mello
Joshua Kutchinski is the student success coordinator for Mesa Community College and has the responsibility of ensuring each MCC athlete the ability to be academically eligible for their particular sport.”As a student success coordinator, we do academic advising, we give folders to each student athlete to help them keep up on their classes and we do three grade checks a semester,” Kutchinski said.
He uses a computer spreadsheet with every athlete’s name and grades for each one of their classes.
“It takes me four days to finish the spreadsheet. There are about 400 athletes and only one of me,” Kutchinski said.
Kutchinski uses a system of colors coordinating each player’s name and grades on his spreadsheet.
“If an athlete is in the red (grade of C or lower), they must go to tutoring at least two or three days a week and raise their grade,” Kutchinski said. “I make the decision from there if an athlete is cleared to compete athletically again.”
“I think it’s an important and vital role,” said John Mulhern, the athletic director. “The key to all of our success will be making sure our 400-plus athletes move forward academically and athletically.”
“Through the week we’re probably averaging about 15 players who go three days a week, 25 players or more who go two days a week,” Kutchinski said. “We have some athletes who just want to be in there helping out so they go to the tutoring center five days a week.”
Sophomore returning starter cornerback Tyrell Pearson is a regular at the tutoring center and has experienced positive changes in his grades as a result.
“The tutoring center and coach Kutchinski have helped me a lot to improve my grades and to help me focus on more than just when I am on the football field,” Pearson said.
Kutchinski’s title of student success coordinator has only recently become an official position.
“It used to rely on me, but after the grade checks I would have to get hold of every kid and bring them to the enhancement center and hope we could find the right tutor to help the athlete work on his grades,” Kutchinski said.
As the year has progressed and the tutoring center has become more utilized by the MCC athletes, Kutchinski’s new position has grown and he has seen some positive results.
“My football spreadsheet at the start of the year would be 60 to 70 percent red (grades of C or lower) and now you pull it up and it’s about 15-20 percent red,” Kutchinson said.
