Campus Retreat –Schedule Full Day Half Day

Campus Retreat Timeline – Use the internet to show videos and resources – Introduction of the Strategic Position Platform – Updates for Community Engagement – Updates for Game Environment Initiatives – Partial Scholarship Model – Graduation Rates – Develop priorities for within your department.

Campus Retreat Key People – President or Chancellor – Vice President of Student Affairs – Student Government Representatives – Student-Athletes – Vice President of Enrollment Management – Vice President to Institutional Advancement – Registrar, Admissions, Financial Aid Representatives – Athletic Administration/Coaches/FAR – Director of Alumni Affairs

Campus Retreat Questions – Are we doing a good job of communicating the Division II Strategic Initiatives to the community we serve? – With the addition of some of our Community Engagement ideas, we are bringing more people to campus. What can we do on campus to create a more positive game environment? – How do we involve the general student body in these initiatives?

Presentation Templates Menu Items: –Power Point Slides with talking points –Six Attributes including talking points –Screen shots of websites –Videos posted on both websites –Division II Graduation Rates –Partial Scholarship Model –Make-A-Wish Information –Ideas “that work”

Presentation Templates Handouts: –Strategic Positioning Platform –diinetwork.com website screen shot flyer –Membership Report –Division II Graduation Rates/Your Institution’s Rates –Community Engagement vs. Community Service –Game Environment vs. Sportsmanship –Division II Fact and Figures –Benefits of Division II Membership

Presentation Templates Website Links:  NCAA Logo Library  Strategic Positioning Platform-Spanish and English  Membership Report  DII Network Site  Activation Tool Kit  NCAA Photo Gallery  Division II homepage ncaa.org/dii

Division II Strategic Positioning Initiatives History of the Strategic Positioning Platform Who we are “Life in the Balance” Institution’s mission and values helps to provide a quality educational experience. Athletic programs help support and enhance the mission of the institution.

Background on the Strategic Positioning Initiative Division II Chancellors and Presidents Summit held in June Division II Presidents Council agreed to implement a comprehensive study related to the division’s defining characteristics and key attributes. Strategic positioning of Division II – ‘illuminate’ Division II in way that will call attention to the core values and guiding principles of Division II. The Division II Presidents Council partnered with the NCAA Branding and Communications staff. Hired a consultant--Jeff Jacobs, who is an independent marketing and branding consultant.

Research Results “Balance” is a commonly associated theme; however, more likely a supporting fact or attribute and not the strategic position of the division. The benefits derived from balancing academics and athletics are more appropriate for the positioning and messaging of Division II. The general public appears to be unfamiliar with the NCAA divisional structure in general and Division II, specifically.

Research Results An overwhelming majority (91 percent) of Division II student-athletes would recommend a Division II institution to a prospective student-athlete. The Division II membership believes that a priority for the division should be to increase awareness and support in the local community.

Strategic Positioning Platform The platform is the definition of who we are, what we believe in and why we do the things we do. Provides a common set of principles and talking points. Creates consistency or “one voice” across Division II communications. Key Words: – Comprehensive Program of Learning and Development. – Personal Setting. – Path to Graduation. – Knowledge for life ahead.

Strategic Positioning Platform Positioning Statement Life in the Balance. Higher education has lasting importance on an individual’s future success. For this reason, the emphasis for the student- athlete experience in Division II is a comprehensive program of learning and development in a personal setting. The Division II approach provides growth opportunities through academic achievement, learning in high- level athletic competition and development of positive societal attitudes in service to community. The balance and integration of these different areas of learning opportunity provide Division II student-athletes a path to graduation while cultivating a variety of skills and knowledge for life ahead.

Division II Strategic Positioning Initiatives Academic Excellence – Graduation Rates – Retention – Academic Standards

Division II Strategic Positioning Initiatives History of Community Engagement – Community engagement brings people to campus. – Athletics is the front porch of the Institution and offers us an opportunity to show off other aspects of the university. – Community Engagement is about building relationships.

Community Engagement Initiative Research indicates that a priority for Division II should be to increase support in the local community. Contracted with Rich Luker, who is recognized as one of the nation’s best researchers in analyzing sport and leisure trends. Dr. Luker assisted Division II with the development of a tool kit to assist schools in developing community-based programs and outreach strategies that will benefit the school, the student-athlete and the community. diinetwork.org

Division II Strategic Positioning Initiatives Creating a Positive Game Environment  Comfort  Civility  Lively and Entertaining

Game Environment The Theory-- If athletics can serve as an institution’s “front porch” to community, your “house” (e.g., gymnasium) better be in order or your “guests” (fans) may decide not to return to your campus activities and events. For our athletics contests, this means a focus on the complete Division II Game Environment. The Challenge-- We must reconnect the educational purpose of our athletics programs to the environment that we manage and help control at Division II athletics events.

Game Environment This initiative is being led by Division II chancellors and presidents. Conference offices are branding this pledge sheet and loading their chancellors ‟ and presidents ‟ signatures on the home page of the conference Web site (with a link to the NCAA Game Environment Web site) to promote this initiative among conference fans and supporters.

Game Environment Game Environment is more than just a focus on “sportsmanship.” This Division II initiative measures success in three critical areas: 1.Civility at the event. 2.Comfort as part of the event experience. 3.Entertaining qualities during event.

Activation Tool Kit Communication Strategies Student-athletes Prospects Parents Coaches/Administrators/Faculty Presidents/Chancellors Media Community

Texas A&M University-Kingsville FRESHMAN-COHORT GRADUATION RATES All StudentsStudent-Athletes # Graduation Rate30%51% Four-Class Average29%38% Student-Athlete Academic Success Rate52%

Average Division II Federal Rates vs. ASRs 2002 Entering Cohort Only Federal Rate Student Body Federal Rate Student-Athletes ASR Overall47%55%71% Men43%49%64% Women51%63%82%

 Background information, historical data, and current institutional and aggregate reports are available on NCAA Web site  Both federal and ASR reports  To access, log onto NCAA.org, then click:  Academics & Athletes  Education & Research This page contains links to federal and ASR data Where to Find Graduation Rate Data

Financial Responsibility Partial-Scholarship Model Impacts on Campus Culture Division II Strategic Positioning Initiatives

Division II Features-12 Reasons to Believe 1. Graduation Rates. Division II’s student-athlete graduation rate is consistently 10 to 15 percentage points higher than the total student body. 2.Class Time. Division II’s regionalization philosophy rewards the scheduling of local or regional opponents in the regular season, resulting in limited missed class time for student- athletes. 3. Athletics Scholarships. Many Division II student- athletes receive athletics scholarships and other forms of financial aid to pay for school.

Division II Features-12 Reasons to Believe 4. Personal Attention. Student-athletes receive a quality education at DII institutions that often feature an exceptional teacher-to-student ratio. 5. Additional Assistance. The Degree-Completion Scholarship Program provides deserving Division II student-athletes who have exhausted their collegiate eligibility with financial assistance. 6. National Championships Opportunities. Division II features unparalleled opportunity for student-athletes to advance to national championship competition as a result of the division’s generous championship access ratios.

Division II Features-12 Reasons to Believe 7. Community Partnerships. Division II has initiated national community partnerships with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Habitat for Humanity. 8. Unique Fiscal Model. Division II offers a unique fiscal model for intercollegiate athletics that redefines the institutional value for sponsoring sports and offering athletics scholarships. 9. Innovative Solutions. Division II encourages innovative policy and program decisions unique to the NCAA, such as the development of Division II National Championships Festivals and a national community-engagement program.

Division II Features-12 Reasons to Believe 10. Teacher/Coaches. Many Division II coaches continue to provide other services for their institution and in the community, including teaching and mentoring. 11. Proud Alumni. Former Division II student-athletes include governors, senators, entertainers, corporate leaders and professional athletes. 12. National Recognition. Division II student-athletes have received the NCAA’s highest individual honors, including winning the Walter Byers Scholarship Award (the Association’s top student-athlete) and the NCAA Woman of the Year Award

Reasons to Believe Graduation Rates Division II’s student-athlete graduation rate is consistently 10 to 15 percentage points higher than the total student body.

Strategic Positioning Platform Division II Attributes  Learning  Service  Passion  Sportsmanship  Resourcefulness  Balance

DIVISION II NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS FESTIVAL Key Points Division II is the only division that hosts this Olympic-style event in which multiple championships occur Student-athlete lounge NCAA Corporate Champions involvement Community Engagement Special Events Opening Ceremonies Closing Ceremonies Fan Festival

NCAA Mission To govern competition in a fair, safe, equitable and sportsmanlike manner, and to integrate intercollegiate athletics into higher education so that the educational experience of the student-athlete is paramount.

Questions and Answers