NCAA Division I Progress Toward Degree: Improving the Certification Process

Objectives Guests presenters will share: Issues. Actions taken. Results. Lessons. Discussion of collective strengths, challenges, obstacles to certification on your campuses. Build your network of colleagues to share information within the future.

Guest Presenter No. 1 Issue. Action taken. Results. Lessons learned.

Guest Presenter No. 2 Issue. Action taken. Results. Lessons learned.

Guest Presenter No. 3 Issue. Action taken. Results. Lessons learned.

Certification Risk Areas What are your areas of risk? How did you determine your risk areas? Transfers. Major changes. Repeated courses. High performing students. Double majors. Optional minors.

Cross Campus Collaboration How does your process work with individuals outside of athletics? When are their busy times? What other certification processes are they responsible for? What can be learned or gleaned from those processes?

Utilizing Information Technology Look for existing tools. Generally resources for custom solutions are limited. What elements of certification can be automated? First two years of enrollment certifications. Retention point certifications. What elements of certification require human judgment? Third year and on, degree applicability.

Degree Applicability Annual review of process with each college. Education of college advisors and liaisons. Evaluate available tools on campus. Explore the use of technology to automate the process.

Certifying Transfer Eligibility Define everyone’s role; coach, compliance office, admissions office, certifying officer, faculty athletics representative. Set requirements for timing of reviews and documentation needed for reviews. Restrict offers of aid until certain process steps are complete. Create policies and procedures taken before student-athlete is allowed to trigger transfer.

Certifying Transfer Eligibility (Contd.) Use of Google and the National Student Clearinghouse. Define a specific process for course articulations, including roles and timing. Be aware of nontraditional coursework and know how your institution will handle it. Document procedure to check for declaration of degree and degree applicability of transfer coursework.

Role of the Faculty Athletics Representative How and when does the faculty athletics representative get involved in the process? What information/tools do you provide the faculty athletics representative so they can be an informed participant in the certification process? What are the other ways the faculty athletics representative can provide leadership in this process?

Policies and Procedures Define all players and their roles. Include roles in job descriptions. Flowchart the process. Define who has ultimate authority for important steps in the process. Include timelines and deadlines.

Policies and Procedures (Contd.) Include how collaboration works – who to contact with questions, who reviews the work, etc. Include every detail – course substitutions, incompletes, etc. Schedule and perform a regular review of policies and procedures, including who is involved and when. Simple list of every step to be taken by month. Tasks, reminder functions in outlook, google calendar.

QUESTIONS???

Your input is important. Rate this session using the survey on the Regional Rules Seminar app.