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The Division I Board of Directors on Thursday approved NCAA proposals to adopt tougher academic standards and increase financial support for student-athletes.
As part of the approved package, Division I athletic programs will be forced to maintain a higher level of academic performance to remain eligible for postseason competition.
The board also approved legislation that would make students on full athletic scholarships eligible for up to $2,000 in additional aid.
"These changes demonstrate a remarkable resolve by (university) presidents," said NCAA President Mark Emmert. "They represent a return to and a focus on values that are at the core of what intercollegiate athletics are all about. They also represent a clear signal to the world about what we care about and what we stand for."
The new academic standards will take effect over a two-year period, eventually requiring programs to achieve a 930 Academic Progress Rate (APR), which roughly predicts a 50 percent Graduation Success Rate (GSR).
The NCAA adopted the APR standard in 2005 as a measure of student-athletes' academic standing and retention.
The APR requirement will stand at 900 starting in the 2012-13 academic year before increasing to 930 by 2014-15. Teams that fail to meet the new academic guidelines will be ineligible for postseason play.
The University of Connecticut men's basketball team, which won the NCAA title in March, had an APR of 826 for 2009-10. Its most recent four-year rolling average, released last May, was 893, according to the Hartford Courant.
Meanwhile, the board's approval of increased financial aid addressed an issue that had served as a point of contention amongst those who claimed universities failed to meet full costs incurred by student-athletes.
The new legislation allows student-athletes on full scholarship or those receiving financial aid the opportunity to acquire up to $2,000 to address the miscellaneous costs of attending college.
"We understand the situation of our student-athletes," Penn State President Graham Spanier said. "This isn't about paying student-athletes, but it is about being fair and recognizing that in Division I it ought to be important to meet this need."
