A recent survey that is helping presidents sharpen Division III’s identity confirms an “overwhelmingly” shared belief that member institutions are making athletics an integral part of a broader educational experience.

It also strongly indicates that Division III student-athletes choose which school to attend primarily because of academic offerings.

The online survey exploring aspects of Division III athletics – a key step toward creating a “strategic communication platform” for the division – attracted about 3,000 responses. Presidents, student-athletes, institutional and conference administrators, coaches and faculty answered the survey during June. Responses were received from 400 of Division III’s 441 active and provisional member institutions.

The survey represented Division III’s broadest effort ever to measure how various constituencies at member institutions perceive the division’s philosophy statement and to better understand why student-athletes participate in its athletics programs. A report of survey results has been posted on the NCAA Web site.

“The findings are very positive, especially regarding fulfillment of the Division III philosophy, the overall student-athlete experience, and the reasons prospective student-athletes select Division III,” said Dan Dutcher, Division III vice president.

The survey was part of research conducted for Division III by consultant Jeff Jacobs of the strategic branding and marketing agency Relish.

Jacobs is working with the Division III Presidents Council to create a strategic communications platform that will provide a basis for communicating the division’s distinctive approach to intercollegiate athletics.

“The platform essentially is a document that sums up the theme – or to use a marketing term, the positioning – of Division III,” he explained.

The Presidents Council, kicking off its consideration of that platform, first reviewed results during its August meeting from the online survey as well as from interviews and other research Jacobs conducted.

Jacobs reported that survey respondents “overwhelmingly” believe that all of the division’s members are practicing the core statement of the division’s philosophy.

The survey asked respondents to indicate levels of agreement or disagreement with whether Division III fulfills this language from its philosophy statement: “Colleges and universities in Division III place the highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience and on the successful completion of all students’ academic programs. They seek to establish and maintain an environment in which a student-athlete’s athletic activities are conducted as an integral part of the student-athlete’s educational experience.”

“More than 90 percent agreed that Division III institutions are fulfilling that promise of the philosophy,” Jacobs said. “They’re not just saying it about their own school; they’re saying it about other Division III institutions.”

The survey also revealed that respondents believe their own institution adheres to various ideas supported by the philosophy statement, most notably that “sportsmanship is important,” “coaches and athletics administrators support student-athletes in all endeavors in their college experience,” and “being a student-athlete builds personal character.”

There are differences, however, in the degree of belief by presidents and athletics directors that institutions are adhering to the philosophy, compared to the degree of belief indicated by student-athletes and faculty. Those differences also were observed when respondents were asked to rate various aspects of the student-athlete experience on campuses.

“Presidents and athletics directors were on one side on a lot of these questions in terms of very strong belief, while student-athletes are a little bit lower, and faculty agree at a noticeably lower rate,” Jacobs said. “Still, eight in 10 faculty are saying Division III institutions are fulfilling the philosophy.”

A portion of the survey included questions specifically for student-athletes, who rated the quality of academics at an institution and the quality of the academic program in their chosen area of study as the primary reasons why they chose to attend the school where they enrolled.

More student-athletes rated those factors as very or somewhat important than rated such factors as the coaching staff, quality of the team in their chosen sport, or financial aid.

Jacobs also conducted interviews on several Division III institutions’ campuses and met with the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Division III Management Council and Division III Chancellors and Presidents Advisory Group, seeking themes for consideration by the Presidents Council as it decides on a strategic communication platform.

“This is the hard part of the process,” Jacobs said. “Division I, Division II and Division III student-athletes all share a common experience. They’re all going to school, and they’re all participating in intercollegiate athletics. What we have to find here is, what’s really unique about Division III?”

Once the Presidents Council approves the platform, attention will turn to determining the best ways to “activate” that unique Division III message at the campus and conference levels. Activation can take many forms, ranging from the scheduling of educational or celebratory events to incorporating messaging into current programs to creating such tools as signage or a slogan.

The Council is planning to present specific details and objectives of the program at next January’s NCAA Convention.