In an effort to clearly and concisely define what the association is about, the Faculty Athletics Representatives Association developed a statement of purpose:

The official faculty voice ensuring balance between academics and athletics for the benefit of student-athletes at more than 1,000 NCAA colleges and universities.

The statement is designed to guide both the association in its activities and individual FARs as they go about their duties on campus and interact with athletics administrators, coaches and university leaders. It was developed with the assistance of NCAA public relations professionals.

“There are a lot of entities at work within intercollegiate athletics. Coaches want to win, athletics directors want to have a strong department budget and a strong fan base,” said FARA President Alan Hauser. “As FARs, we feel we should be the ones who are ensuring that our student-athletes have a strong balance between what they do in athletics and their academic responsibilities as a student.”

Hauser suggested that faculty athletics representatives can do that in several ways, including monitoring the admissions process, especially for special admissions; working with other campus officials to monitor the eligibility of student-athletes; and monitoring the learning-assistance programs on campus to make sure they are effective and appropriate.

The new statement of purpose will be used in all FARA materials, including the association’s handbook and a brochure to be sent to all new presidents and chancellors. It will also be foremost in Hauser’s mind as he – the official spokesman for the group – speaks with members of the media and other groups.

Overall, the association wants the statement of purpose to highlight the role of the faculty athletics representative and how FARs can make a valuable contribution to the lives of student-athletes. While the responsibilities of FARs in different divisions on different kinds and sizes of campuses might vary, Hauser said the statement or purpose will be common to all.

“This is a statement that will be universally true for faculty reps,” he said. “I think it will help us to gain a higher profile and to highlight us in the eyes of the general public and in the eyes of everyone in intercollegiate athletics.”