This article reports that the facilities arms race in college sports has a new frontier: academic-services buildings. Over the past decade, a dozen major college programs have built stand-alone academic centers, most of them for the exclusive use of athletes. At least seven more colleges are planning new buildings or major renovations in coming years. Spending has surged for several reasons: Competition for players has eased admissions standards in recent years, while the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) academic-progress requirements have stiffened. That means it is easier for an athlete to get into college but harder to stay eligible for sports. Teams that fail to meet minimum academic cutoffs lose scholarships. The pressure has led to academic improprieties in several high-profile programs, raising the stakes everywhere. Athletics officials and some faculty members say the extra spending and attention have sharpened players' classroom focus and kept more athletes on track to graduate. Others complain that the lavish buildings give athletes an unfair advantage over other students.