NCAA Athletics Certification Orientation

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NCAA Athletics Certification Orientation
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Overview

• Origin, Purpose and Benefits.
• Athletics Certification Process.
• Operating Principles.
• Measurable Standards.
• Institutional Plans.
• Third-Cycle Standards.
• Technology.
• Available Resources.
• Questions.

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Origin, Purpose and Benefits
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Origin of Athletics Certification

• Approved at the 1993 Convention.
• Five-year cycle.
• Second cycle began in 1999.
• 10-year cycle.
• Third cycle begins fall 2008.
• 10-year cycle.

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Purpose

• Open up affairs of athletics to university
  community and public.
• Set standards, called operating principles, for
  operation of NCAA Division I athletics programs.
• Establish tough sanctions for failure to conduct
  a comprehensive self-study or correct problems.

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Benefits

• Self-awareness.
• Affirmation.
• Opportunities to improve.

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Athletics Certification Process
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Athletics Certification Process
Step No. 1 Orientation videoconference and
institution begins self-study process.
Step No. 3 Self-study report submitted via ACS
by May 1, 2009.
Step No. 2 Institution develops self-study
report.
Report developed August 15, 2008 April 2009
August 15, 2008 October 31, 2008
Step No. 4 NCAA staff liaison reviews report for
preliminary issues.
Step No. 5 Full committee reviews self-study
report and approves issues.
Step No. 6 Institution has option to respond to
the committee's analysis.
May 1, 2009 June 30, 2009
Until two weeks prior to the evaluation visit
July 15, 2009 August 15, 2009
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Step No. 7 Peer-review team conducts campus visit
and writes report on Web-based system.
Step No. 8 PRT report sent to the chancellor or
president for response on Web-based system.
September 15, 2009 November 2009
Within two weeks of campus visit
Step No. 10 Committee deliberates and issues a
final decision for all institutions.
Step No. 9 Institution's response due.
December 18, 2009
February 2010
Athletics Certification Process
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Operating Principles
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Governance and Commitment to Rules Compliance

• NCAA Operating Principle 1.1 - Institutional
  control, presidential authority and shared
  responsibilities.
• The institution must be responsible for the
  conduct of its athletics program, including the
  actions of its staff members and representatives
  of its athletics interests.
• Operating Principle 1.2 - Rules compliance.
• Staff, student-athletes, other individuals and
  groups representing the institution's athletics
  interests must comply with NCAA rules and
  regulations.

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Academic Integrity

• Operating Principle 2.1 Academic standards.
• Athletics programs must be designed and
  maintained as a vital component of the
  institution's educational system and
  student-athletes are treated consistently with
  the student body.
• Operating Principle 2.2 Academic support.
• Athletics programs must be conducted in a manner
  designed to protect and enhance the educational
  experience of student-athletes and emphasize
  educational objectives.

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Gender, Diversity and Student-Athlete Well-Being

• Operating Principle 3.1 Gender issues.
• Institutions must conduct and promote athletics
  programs that are free from gender bias.
• Operating Principle 3.2 Diversity issues.
• Institutions must promote respect for and
  sensitivity to the dignity of every person and to
  refrain from discrimination.
• Operating Principle 3.3 Student-athlete
  well-being.
• Athletics program must be designed to protect and
  enhance the physical and educational well-being
  of student-athletes.

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Measurable Standards
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Measurable Standards

• Clarifies expectations for each operating
  principle.
• Brings more consistency to the process.
• Used by institutions, NCAA staff, peer-review
  teams and the NCAA Division I Committee on
  Athletics Certification.

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Plans for Improvement
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Plans for Improvement

• Institutional plans must include the following
  requirements
• Issues/problems.
• Measurable goals.
• Steps to achieve the goals.
• Individuals/offices responsible for carrying out
  the specific actions.
• Specific timetable(s).
• Further, institutional plans for improvement must
  meet the following requirements
• Stand alone and in writing.
• Broad-based campus participation.
• Institutional approval.

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Third-Cycle Standards
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Third-Cycle Standards

• Increased accountability.
• Second-cycle plans for improvement.
• Gender-equity and minority-issues plans.
• Increased the number of program areas in gender
  issues, diversity issues and student-athlete
  well-being areas.
• Measurable standards.

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Third-Cycle Standards

• Highlights of changes made to the measurable
  standards
• Fiscal responsibility.
• Written athletics governance policies.
• Analysis of NCAA Division I Academic Progress
  Rate (APR), Graduation Success Rate and retention
  data.
• Implementation of APR Improvement Plans.
• Required annual review of diversity and gender
  plans.
• Diversity issues (previously minority issues).
• Increased emphasis on evaluation of
  student-athlete well-being.
• Technology initiatives.

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Technology
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Technology

• Athletics certification web-based system.
• Benefits
• Increases efficiency.
• Reduces costs.
• Adds greater consistency.
• Upload limited supplements.
• ID and password protected.

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Participants in the Athletics Certification
Process
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Participants

• Committee on Athletics Certification.

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Committee on Athletics Certification

• 18 members
• College chancellors or presidents.
• Athletics administrators.
• Faculty athletics representatives.
• Conference administrators.

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Committee Philosophy

• Assist institutions in identifying mechanisms
  which ensure intercollegiate athletics programs
  are operating in accordance with the high
  standards and core values of Division I.

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Participants

• Committee on Athletics Certification and
• Peer-Review Team.

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Peer-Review Team

• Typical team
• Generally three or four members.
• Chaired by a chancellor or president whenever
  possible.
• Random selection approved by committee.
• Will not include peer reviewers with potential
  conflicts of interest.

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Peer-Review Team

• Responsible for
• Verifying accuracy of the self-study.
• Confirming broad-based participation.
• Evaluating conformity with the operating
  principles.

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Participants

• Committee on Athletics Certification.
• Peer-Review Team.
• Athletics Certification Liaison.

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Athletics Certification Liaison

• Has been previously designated by the chancellor
  or president.
• Responsible for monitoring progress on plans for
  improvement developed during the second-cycle
  certification process.
• The third-cycle athletics certification liaison
  will be designated after the evaluation visit
  prior to certification decision.
• Designated via the NCAA Online Directory.

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Participants

• Committee on Athletics Certification.
• Peer-Review Team.
• Athletics Certification Liaison.
• Steering Committee.
• Self-Study Subcommittees.
• Campus Contact.
• Report Coordinator.
• NCAA Staff Liaison.

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Certification Decisions
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The Certification Decision

• Materials reviewed during deliberations
• Self-study report.
• Initial issues identified by the committee.
• Institution's response to Committee's analysis.
• Peer-review team's report.
• Institution's response to peer-review team's
  report.
• Other material and information deemed relevant by
  the committee.

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Certification Categories

• Certified.
• Certified with conditions.
• Not certified.

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Available Resources
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Available Resources

• NCAA staff liaison.
• www.ncaa.org (athletics certification link).
• Handbook (PDF).
• Self-study instrument (PDF).
• Orientation materials.
• Self-study checklist.
• Measurable standards.
• Peer-reviewer candidate information.
• ACS training videos.

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Questions?
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NCAA Athletics Certification Orientation