After eight years of grammar school and four years of high school, boys and girls across this country are deemed to have completed their formal education. Their graduation from our standardized educational system gives them the opportunity to move on to higher education.

Once in a college or university, the now young adults are able to decide what kind of education they will pursue and at what pace they will learn. They can avail themselves to most parts of the university -- clubs, organizations and other extracurricular activities designed to enhance the learning experience. Students are encouraged to take part in those activities because they help make them well-rounded citizens.

But there's an extra layer of certification for Divisions I and II student-athletes. To take part in NCAA competition, student-athletes must be certified after they have qualified for admission to the school. After they have met already-rigorous admission standards from University X, the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse must place its good-student seal of approval on the freshmen before they are allowed to receive financial aid and participate.

In essence, the NCAA certifies the qualified.

As a member of the 2002-03 NCAA Leadership Institute for Ethnic Minority Males, I feel a kinship with these young men and women who are faced with one more certifying process, another proof-of-purchase requirement. The additional step is one ethnic minorities face all the time.

During the Leadership Institute, the question was raised as to whether we felt the institute was necessary. To me, the knowledge I have gained and the opportunity I've had to work with the participants and instructors has been great. The program has given me the chance to network with peers with whom I share a great deal. That's something I could not have obtained elsewhere. The program has value and should be continued.

But a question lingers in my mind. Why is one more credential needed for minorities to become athletics directors or commissioners? Why do we need one more certificate that says we have accomplished something before it can be said we are prepared and capable?

Developed by the NCAA's Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, the Leadership Institute represents the NCAA's commitment to addressing the critical shortage of senior-level ethnic minorities. Yet, this stated goal makes me wonder why there isn't a program for college presidents who are most responsible for hiring athletics directors and commissioners instead of those who strive to attain those jobs. If the situation is critical, then shouldn't change come from top down instead of bottom up? Because the effort was geared to those who want entrance as opposed to those who control the gate, it may create the impression that the problem for the lack of minority representation lies with the minorities.

As a member of the Leadership Institute, I know this is not the case. The effort to achieve and the will to succeed are ever-present in all of the participants. The individuals chosen for the program were screened to ensure they were prepared not only to take on the challenge but to raise the bar for those who will follow. Their preparation for senior-level positions is on par with their non-minority counterparts; otherwise, they would not have made the cut. They already have been certified.

So what's the answer to whether the Leadership Institute is necessary? The answer is yes. The program is needed for reasons that are stated and for reasons that some may be reluctant to state.

As a young man growing up in Chicago, I was told, "Because you are black you will have to work twice as hard to get half as much." That also can be true if you are Hispanic, Asian or female. At the time, I didn't want to accept that presumed reality. I was young and idealistic. I thought that hard work and dedication would be the keys necessary to open any door. The notion that I would not reach my goal never occurred to me until I got close to it.

As I began to take steps in the right direction, it became apparent that a formal education wasn't enough. Like the incoming freshmen, I needed another certification, some process that would validate my abilities, unlike the degrees I have earned and the work experience behind me.

While talking with non-minority peers, I thought I was on the right path. We would talk about our goals and objectives and how we were going to lead when given the opportunity. Sometimes we would talk about career paths and what we thought it would take to someday be an athletics director. I did not see much difference in our preparation. I thought I was on par with my non-minority colleagues -- on paper there was nothing separating us. So why is it I need the Leadership Institute and they don't?

I need the Leadership Institute because it is one more objective that has to be met in that presumed reality. For me and other minorities, the program is more or less another core requirement necessary to prove you have what it takes to be successful at the next level. But more importantly, the Leadership Institute is an NCAA initiative supported by the presidents. Those who make hiring decisions cannot ignore a stamp of approval by their peers.

What does this mean? Unfortunately, the Leadership Institute can be viewed as a political tool that makes a social statement. But the underlying goal of the program is to erase the doubts about minority candidates held by some and to eliminate excuses used by others who are reluctant to change. The goal is to push the envelope, display the qualifiers before the NCAA and force the gatekeepers to open up.

I take pride in my experience in the Leadership Institute. I am the better for it. My hope is the program will continue to enhance the lives of those who strive to be leaders in collegiate athletics. The program is a great tool for advancing the whole of collegiate athletics, because in truth it's the people and not the games or competitions that make the difference.

Maybe the Leadership Institute will one day be a program designed to address critical issues in athletics, not critical issues involving ethnicity.

Darryl Pope is the assistant athletics director for compliance at California State University, Northridge.