CMU to Study Athletics Program
9/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | General
Sept. 1, 2004
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Central Michigan University will formally begin a year-long, campus-wide effort to study its athletics program as part of the NCAA Division I athletics certification program, announced CMU President Michael Rao.
Rao has appointed Jonas Cook, associate vice president for finance and administrative services, to lead the study, which will cover equity, welfare and sportsmanship; academic integrity; and governance and commitment to rules.
Started in 1993, the NCAA certification process was developed to ensure integrity in the institutions' athletics operations. Initially, the certification process was set to occur every five years. In 1997, the frequency of the certification process was changed to every 10 years.
CMU first participated in the NCAA certification program in 1995. After a self-study by the university and a peer-review visit by a team of administrators and faculty from other institutions, CMU was fully certified in 1997 by the NCAA's Committee on Athletics Certification.
"Certification provides an opportunity to open up the athletics program for examination by the university community, the public and our peers," said CMU Athletics Director Herb Deromedi. "The review process will help to increase public awareness and knowledge of our program and will show us our strengths and areas to improve. Going through the process a second time will allow us to demonstrate what we have been able to accomplish in a 10-year period."
Cook will chair a steering committee consisting of the president, an alumnus and more than 40 faculty, staff and students from across the campus to administer the study. Three subcommittees have been assigned to study each of the areas designated by the NCAA.
Within each area to be studied, the certification program has standards, called operating principles, which were adopted by the NCAA to establish a "measuring stick" by which all Division I members are evaluated. The university also will examine how the activities of the athletics program relate to the mission and purpose of the institution. CMU will be expected to complete its final report in April 2005.
Once the university has concluded its self-study, a peer review team will visit CMU in early fall 2005 and conduct a four-day evaluation visit on campus. The peer review team will make recommendations to the NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification and a final certification status will be rendered in October 2005.
The three options of certification status are "certified," "certified with conditions" and "not certified." While universities will have an opportunity to correct deficient areas, those universities who do not take corrective actions may be ruled ineligible for NCAA championships.
The NCAA is a membership organization of colleges and universities that participate in intercollegiate athletics. The primary purpose of the NCAA is to maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body.
Separate from the NCAA certification process, CMU is going through an institution-wide academic accreditation process by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. The NCAA certification program is different because it focuses solely on certification of athletics programs and is coordinated by the NCAA.