The NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification recently announced decisions concerning the certification status of six Division I member institutions that have undergone the Association's second cycle of athletics certification.

The following universities were certified: Appalachian State University; the University of California, Los Angeles; Eastern Michigan University; Loyola College (Maryland); and Ohio State University.

The University of Northern Iowa was certified with conditions. That classification means that the institution is considered to be operating its athletics program in substantial conformity with operating principles adopted by the Division I membership; however, problems identified during the course of the institution's self-study and the peer-review team's evaluation were considered serious enough by the Committee on Athletics Certification to cause it to withhold full certification until those problems have been corrected.

The second round of athletics certification is being completed on a 10-year cycle rather than the five-year cycle used during the initial certification process. All 325 active Division I members participate in the certification process.

The purpose of athletics certification is to ensure integrity in the institution's athletics program and to assist institutions in improving their athletics departments. NCAA legislation mandating athletics certification was adopted in 1993.

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

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 Division I Committee on Athletics Certification preliminarily reviews an institution's certification materials and provides a list of issues identified during the evaluation. The university then has a period of about 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 may negatively affect certification status.