The NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification has ruled on the certification status of the first two Division I member institutions to complete the Association's second cycle of athletic certification.

The University of Maryland, College Park, was certified, while West Virginia University was certified with conditions.

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

The committee said that before West Virginia can be considered for full certification, the university is required to provide a written description outlining university athletics council action related to its mission statement. The university also must verify in writing that it provides equitable opportunities for male and female student-athletes in areas specified by the committee. After this formal review, the university is required to revise its gender-equity plan to address any deficiencies identified during the review.

The committee also is requiring that West Virginia revise its minority opportunities plan to provide greater specificity in the intended-end results and to outline steps the institution will use to achieve those goals. The plan must support equitable opportunities for all student-athletes and athletics staff.

The second round of athletics certifications is being completed on a 10-year cycle rather than the five-year cycle used during the initial certification process. All 318 Division I members that are active division members participate in the certification process.

The certification program's purpose is to ensure integrity in the institution's athletics operations and to assist athletics departments in improving their programs. Legislation mandating athletics certification was adopted in 1993.

The certification process, which involves a self-study process led by a school's chief executive officer, includes a review of these primary components: governance and commitment to rules compliance, academic integrity, fiscal integrity and commitment to equity.

The certification committee preliminarily reviews an institution's certification materials, then provides a list of issues identified during the evaluation. The university then has a period of up to one year to respond in writing to the issues before a final certification decision is rendered. An institution's failure to satisfactorily respond to the committee can negatively impact certification status.

The certification process is separate from the NCAA's enforcement program, which investigates allegations that member institutions have violated NCAA rules. A decision of certified does not exempt an institution from concurrent or subsequent enforcement proceedings. The NCAA Committee on Infractions can ask the Committee on Athletics Certification to review an institution's certification status as a result of the completed infractions case.