The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- November 23, 1998

Certification decisions rendered on 20 schools

The Division I Committee on Athletics Certification recently determined the certification status of 20 Division I member institutions. A total of 19 schools were certified; one school was certified with conditions.

Those institutions receiving a designation of certified were: Arkansas State University; University of California, Berkeley; University of the Pacific (California); Duke University; University of Florida; Georgia State University; Lehigh University; Loyola University (Illinois); University of New Hampshire; New Mexico State University; Oral Roberts University; University of Pittsburgh; St. Francis College (New York); St. Peter's College; South Carolina State University; Stephen F. Austin State University; Utah State University; Wagner College; and Youngstown State University.

Arkansas State and South Carolina State were reclassified from certified with conditions to fully certified. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University was certified with conditions.

Before Virginia Tech is considered for full certification, the institution must complete and submit a comprehensive plan for addressing minority opportunities (for student-athletes and staff) in its intercollegiate athletics program.

The colleges and universities completed a year-long certification process, which all 308 Division I members will undergo within five years. To date, 233 institutions have received certification status decisions.

The program's purpose is to ensure integrity in the institution's athletics operations and to assist athletics departments in improving their program. Legislation mandating athletics certification was adopted by a vote of all Division I members at the 1993 NCAA Convention as a key part of the Association's reform agenda.

A designation of certified means that an institution operates its athletics program in substantial conformity with operating principles adopted by the Division I membership.

A designation of certified with conditions means that a college or university generally operates its athletics program in substantial conformity with the Division I operating principles but problems identified were serious enough that full certification is withheld until those problems have been resolved.

A designation of not certified means that the institution is not operating in substantial conformity with the Division I operating principles. Problems identified were considered by the committee to be very serious or pervasive.

Appeals process

If an institution is given the certification status of certified with conditions or not certified, action must be taken by the institution in a specified period of time before its certification status can be changed. If it fails to make an effective effort to correct problems within the time frame set by the committee, the institution may be placed in a restricted membership category for a year.

If problems remain unresolved at the end of that year, the committee may reclassify the institution as a corresponding member, and no longer an active member of the NCAA.

An institution can request, within 15 days after the date of the public release of the certification decision, a hearing before the Commit-tee on Athletics Certification. If it is still not satisfied, the institution may appeal to the Division I Management Council.

Members

The certification process, led by the school's chief executive officer on each of the campuses, included members of the university/college faculty and staff. In addition to these members, athletics department personnel also served on the committee and subcommittees responsible for the self- study. This provided an opportunity for other members of the campus community to learn about and to evaluate the athletics program.

Certification examines the athletics department's governance and commitment to rules compliance, academic and fiscal integrity, and commitment to equity. After the institution submits its self-study reporting, a peer group of administrators from other NCAA member institutions visited each campus and interviewed various institutional personnel. The peer group then reported back to the Committee on Athletics Certification, which rendered the final decision.

The members of the Committee on Athletics Certification are: R. Daniel Beebe, Ohio Valley Conference; Alan B. Chaves, Long Island University-Brooklyn Campus; Robert A. Chernak, George Washington University; Joseph N. Crowley, University of Nevada; Paul T. Dee, University of Miami (Florida); Hallie E. Gregory, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore; Kathleen Hallock, Colonial Athletic Association; Michael B. McGee, University of South Carolina, Columbia; Chris Monasch, America East Conference; Annette O'Connor, LaSalle University; Garnett Purnell, Morgan State University; Marcia L. Saneholtz, Washington State University; Andrea Seger, Ball State University; James E. Walker, chair, Middle Tennessee State University; and Brenda Weare, Conference USA.