California State University, Fresno, has wisely stopped signing high school athletes who don't qualify for college under NCAA standards. It's a move to bolster Fresno State's reputation, which has taken a pounding in recent years because of academic fraud allegations in the basketball program and high-profile missteps by some athletes.

Fresno State announced the change on Friday. It is part of a "campaign to improve image and perception of Fresno State athletics," according to university athletic director Scott Johnson. The move also should help Fresno State in its efforts to get into more competitive athletic conferences during expected league realignments. Fresno State's reputation around the country has been considered a drawback in its quest to move to a stronger conference.

Academic nonqualifiers are students who do not meet NCAA minimum academic requirements to be eligible for scholarships or competition as freshmen. They are not allowed to participate or receive athletic aid in their first year of college, but are eligible to receive athletic scholarships and join teams in their second year if they meet requirements.

Only 22 of 691 current Fresno State athletes failed to meet NCAA minimum requirements out of high school, according to the university. But while the number of nonqualifiers is relatively low, some have been star players on past football and basketball teams.

University officials say the perception by other universities is that Fresno State relies on many more nonqualifiers than it actually does. This change should solve that problem.

Officials in the Mountain West conference have suggested that Fresno State's admissions practices are an issue during discussions of possible conference expansion. "What we're trying to do is take away people's excuses why we can't be under consideration for things," Johnson said. "I think everybody is trying to position themselves for ... realignment and to create stability in conferences. This is just another move to strengthen us."

This change was needed even if the Bulldogs weren't trying to jump to a more prestigious athletic conference. For too long, problems in the athletic department have damaged the reputation of the rest of the university.

Ending the practice of admitting athletes who are academic nonqualifiers will return balance to a university whose reputation has been on the skids.