Ever since the implementation of Proposition 48, universities have been forced to take a closer look at their student-athlete academic support programs.

Prop. 48 is a list of academic eligibility requirements for first-year student-athletes.

Elayne Donahue, director of academic counseling-collegiate athletics for Minnesota, said troubling stories of athletes graduating after four years and being illiterate shocked the academic community.

"Some really troubling things came to light," she said.

Since then, Minnesota has created several programs to aid student-athletes. In 1990, the university created the Enhancement Program for scholarship athletes who are academically at risk. For the first few years, it was only for football players. But in 1993, the program was opened to all student-athletes.

Donahue said the program has been extremely successful in preparing students to become academically independent. Students who elect to enter the program are required to meet with learning specialists 12 hours a week.

"We started the Enhancement Program because we recognized something quite obvious -- some people need more attention than others to be successful," Donahue said.

For other student-athletes at Minnesota, there is the, Studen-tAthlete Study Center. The Center, which opened last fall, offers student-athletes various academic programs, test reviews and study groups. It also, provides an environment where athletes can build support relationships outside of their team.

Donahue said another important source for student-athletes is their academic counselor.

"The counselor is a point guard that helps them find resources on this campus that helps them the best," she said.

Like Minnesota, Wisconsin also provides academic advisers who are aware of NCAA and Big Ten eligibility rules to all student-athletes. The student-athletes also have an adviser within their college.

Mary Weaver-Klees, an academic adviser at Wisconsin, said it's important to keep student-athletes aware of degree requirements as well as eligibility status.

Weaver-Klees also said there are various academic assistance programs for student-athletes.

"Many campus programs are offered during the day, so we offer additional tutorial programs during the evening," she said.

The tutorial program provides student-athletes with one-on-one tutoring as well as group study sessions.

"We run different groups depending on where the students are clumped together," Weaver-Klees said.

Student-athletes are all encouraged to attend study tables. For certain teams such as the football team, study tables are mandatory, Weaver-Klees add.

The programs are offered to all student-athletes and are funded by the athletic department.

But independent funding is important for schools such as Illinois.

"It's not tax dollars paying for these programs," said Nancy Deal, athletic academic counselor at Illinois, adding the money co mes from ticket sales and fundraising.

Like the other Big Ten schools, Illinois offers a wide range of academic support programs for student-athletes. The athletic department provides student athletes with career counselors, advise in career placement, seminars focusing on such things as resume writing.

"The athletic department is doing more of these things as the campus is doing more," Deal said. "The student-athlete doesn't have time to utilize what general students do."

The academic seminars, which are mandatory for all freshmen student-athletes, try to take advantage of campus professionals, Deal said, adding they schedule seminars when all the sports teams are in town.

Illinois also requires student-athletes with a grade point average below 3.5 (on a 5.0 scale) to attend study table 10 hours a week. Some teams have an even higher GPA requirement, Deal said.

But unlike Minnesota and Wiscongin, Illinois' athletic department does not provide student-athletes with academic advisers.

"Advising doesn't take place in the athletic department," she said.

"Student-athletes have to go to their individual departments."

In order to stay in tune with student-athlete concerns, Illinois also has a student-athletic advisory board which has two representatives from each sport.