At some Division I universities, the term "student-athlete" hardly inspires. High-profile college football and basketball are rife with players uninterested in learning and a university structure willing to look the other way. Some of the biggest names in college sports have suffered the indignity of having those practices exposed, shining a spotlight on a pathetic win-at-all-costs attitude.

East Carolina University chose another path this week, one that values education over competition. In setting a mandatory class attendance policy for student-athletes, East Carolina has given players added incentive to earn a degree while in Greenville. That is a welcome development, and one that should be adopted at schools across the country.

The demands on the average student-athlete, especially at a high-profile institution, are tremendous. With revenue from football and men's basketball all but funding the athletic department, players in those sports are expected to perform at the highest level — an expectation that requires hours of practice and preparation. When added to the everyday social distractions faced by the average college student, it is easy to allow classwork to fall by the wayside.

On Monday, Athletics Director Terry Holland outlined a policy intended to help student-athletes avoid such pitfalls. For an unexcused class absence, a player will miss one practice. A second absence will result in a missed game. A third offense will bring a multi-game penalty or a missed road trip and a fourth infraction results in indefinite suspension and a possible loss of scholarship.

The new policy is strong, and justifiably so. Those who attend East Carolina on scholarship are given a valuable opportunity. In exchange for their participation on a university team, they have the chance to earn a degree of their choosing — in many cases for free. Considering that some students cannot attend college simply because of the cost, a full athletic scholarship should be considered a precious gift.

Sadly, it is not always seen as such. Athletes at colleges across the country routinely lose scholarships because they fail in the classroom. Only the rare and talented few will elevate their game to the professional ranks, while a degree holds value long after the final whistle. Earning one should be the first priority of a student-athlete.

Every athlete knows winning requires dedication, determination and a tireless effort; one cannot expect to dominate on natural ability alone. That is true in the classroom as well, where students must attend in order to succeed. East Carolina's new policy encourages athletes by holding them to a higher standard, and is a policy that should be mirrored across the country.