1. 2010 Regional Rules Seminar
Athletics Certification: Preparing for the Self-Study Process Charnele Kemper Danielle Teetzel
2010 Regional Rules Seminar

2. Overview Program required for all Division I institutions.
Requirements listed in Bylaw 22.
10-year cycle.
Cycle 3, Class 1 began fall 2008.

3. Overview – Operating Principles
Governance and Commitment to Rules Compliance
Institutional Control, Presidential Authority and Shared Responsibilities (1.1)
Rules Compliance (1.2)
Academic Integrity
Academic Standards (2.1)
Academic Support (2.2)
Gender/Diversity and Student-Athlete Well-Being
Gender Issues (3.1)
Diversity Issues (3.2)
Student-Athlete Well-Being (3.3)

4. Presentation Topics Process Cycle 3 Expectations Plans for Improvement
Strategies for Monitoring Plans
Updating Plans on Athletics Certification System (ACS)
Best Practices
Resources

5. Athletics Certification Process
Cycle 3 Class 3 Institutions

6. Athletics Certification Process
Step No. 1
Orientation videoconference and institution begins self-study process.
Step No. 2
Institution develops self-study report.
Step No. 3
Self-study report submitted via Athletics Certification System (ACS).
August –
April 29, 2011
Report due April 29, 2011
August – October 2010
Step No. 6
Institution responds to issues identified in committee analysis on ACS.
Step No. 5
NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification reviews self-study report and approves issues.
Step No. 4
NCAA staff liaison reviews report for preliminary issues.
May 2011
August 2011 until two weeks prior to evaluation visit.
June - July 2011

7. Athletics Certification Process
Step No. 7
Peer-review team conducts campus evaluation visit and writes report.
Step No. 8
Peer-review team report sent to institution for response.
September– November 2011
Within two weeks after evaluation visit.
Step No. 10
Committee deliberates and issues final decision for all institutions.
Step No. 9
Institution’s response to peer-review team report due.
Step No. 11
Certification decision announced publicly.
April 2012
February 2012
December 16, 2011

8. Cycle 3 expectations

9. Committee Philosophy Program designed to help institutions improve.
Institutions must:
Conduct an accurate self-study that involves broad-based participation.
Make progress on stated objectives, identify deficiencies and take steps to correct them.
Monitor and implement plans for improvement.

10. Cycle 3 Expectations Increased Accountability
Completion of Cycle 2 plans for improvement.
“No plan” areas for Cycle 3.
Plans must be implemented prior to completion of self-study process.

11. Plans for Improvement

12. Plans for improvement
Required when institution discovers deficiency during the self-study process; and
For gender and diversity areas – regardless of deficiencies.
Provide benchmark to assess progress.

13. Requirements for Plans for Improvement
Plans must include:
Identification of issue/deficiency.
Measurable goal.
Steps to achieve the goal.
Specific timetable.
Identification of individuals responsible.

14. Requirements for Plans for Improvement
Plans must meet the following requirements:
Stand-alone and in writing.
Broad –based participation.
Institutional approval.

15. Example Plan for Improvement
Issue(s)
Measurable Goals
Steps to Achieve Goal
Individuals Responsible
Specific Timetable
Compliance office does not provide rules education to boosters on regular basis.
Provide rules education to boosters on an annual basis at minimum.
Written materials will be provided with season-ticket distribution.
Create Web page for boosters.
Present rules education at annual meeting.
Compliance director; ticket manager; associate AD for development
Brochures distributed May 2011.
Web page created July 2011.
Presentation beginning March 2011 and thereafter.
Insert Sample Rules Compliance Plan from page 63 of SSI

16. Cycle 2 Plans for Improvement
Must report on progress of all Cycle 2 plans developed by institution during Cycle 3 self-study process.
Must provide:
Original plan;
Action(s) taken by institution;
Date(s) of the action(s); and
An explanation for partial or noncompletion of plans.

17. Cycle 2 Plans for Improvement
Explanation for partial or noncompletion may not include:
Lack of funds;
Personnel changes; or
Lack of documentation.
Explanation for partial or noncompletion may include:
Implementation of a different plan; or
Different action to achieve original goal.

18. Example Cycle 2 Plan for Improvement
Program Area
Issue
Measurable Goals
Steps to Achieve Goal
Individuals Responsible
Specific Timetable
Locker Rooms, Practice and Competitive Facilities
Women’s Volleyball locker room is deficient.
Construct new locker room for women’s volleyball team.
Complete RFP and secure funds.
Approve construction plans.
Begin construction.
Move team to new facility.
Director of Fundraising; Asst. AD for facilities; AD
: Fundraising
Jan. 2003: Begin construction
July 2003:
New facility complete

19. Example Cycle 2 Plan for Improvement
Which of the following are acceptable explanations for partial or noncompletion of the plan?
a. Did not raise enough funding.
b. Moved Volleyball team to Women’s Basketball locker room.
c. Athletics Director took new position.
d. Renovated current locker room.
e. Cannot find Cycle 2 plan for improvement.

20. Example Cycle 2 Plan for Improvement
Which of the following are acceptable explanations for partial or noncompletion of the plan?
a. Did not raise enough funding.
b. Moved Volleyball team to Women’s
Basketball locker room.
c. Athletics Director took new position.
d. Renovated current locker room.
e. Cannot find Cycle 2 plan for improvement.

21. Economy and Cycle 2 Plans for Improvement
Broad or nonspecific statements are not acceptable.
Must describe alternate steps or modifications.
Contemporaneous documentation.
Illustrates challenges and hardships.
Demonstrates commitment to progress.

22. Strategies for monitoring plans for improvement

23. Athletics Certification Liaison (ACL)
Responsible for monitoring progress on plans for improvement between cycles.
All NCAA Division I institutions have a designated athletics certification liaison (ACL).
Identification of ACL in membership directory.
Required member of steering committee for Cycle 3.
NCAA staff communication to ACLs – April and October 2009 and via Web page.

24. Strategies for Monitoring Plans
ACL serves as campus coordinator to ensure individuals responsible provide timely updates.
Review by chancellor/president, athletics director and ACL at least on an annual basis.
Changes approved by chancellor/president.

25. Strategies for Monitoring Plans
Record progress not less than once per year on ACS or other centralized location on campus.
Provide chancellor/president and athletics director annual progress reports.
Regular meetings with all individuals involved with plans.

26. Updating plans Between Cycles on ACS

27. Athletics Certification System (ACS)
Web-based system that stores institutional self- studies, committee-identified issues, peer-review team reports and committee actions.
Increases efficiency, reduces costs and adds greater consistency to the athletics certification process.

28. https://goomer.ncaa.org/wdbctx/ncaass/AdminMDB.AC_InstMenu.ACSHomePage
Click here to access ACS.

29. ID and Password is the same as institution’s sport sponsorship ID and Password.
Depending on level of access, the access password can be either “edit” or “view”.
Click

30. Click here

31. Use the scroll bars to view entire page.
Click on the pencil to “comment on the steps” or the X to delete a comment.
Use the scroll bars to view entire page.

32. Best practices for Preparing for the Self-Study Process
Based on Cycle 3, Class 3 Measurable Standards

33. Operating Principle 1.1 Institutional Control, Presidential Authority and Shared responsibilities
Monitor Cycle 2 plans for improvement (if applicable).
Develop or revise athletics governance policies for governing board.
Provide annual written communication to governing board regarding athletics governance policies.

34. Operating Principle 1.1 Institutional Control, Presidential Authority and Shared responsibilities
Ensure groups external to athletics department provide input on policies and review policies.
Ensure chancellor/president or designee annually reviews NCAA dashboard indicators.

35. Operating Principle 1.2 Rules Compliance
Monitor Cycle 2 plans for improvement (if applicable).
Ensure rules compliance statements are in contracts, job descriptions and performance evaluations.
Ensure individuals outside athletics are involved in critical and sensitive areas.
Ensure written rules compliance policies and procedures exist.

36. Operating Principle 1.2 Rules Compliance
Communicate rules compliance policies and procedures on an annual basis.
Provide rules education to all individuals associated with athletics program.
Conduct rules compliance evaluation in 15 required areas once every four years.
Review evaluation to determine corrective actions.

37. Operating Principle 2.1 Academic Standards
Monitor Cycle 2 plans for improvement (if applicable).
Ensure any special admissions policies and procedures apply to general student body and not just student-athletes (SAs).
Examine academic profiles of entering SAs and students generally.
Examine acclimation, retention and academic success of SAs with special academic needs.

38. Operating Principle 2.1 Academic Standards
Examine academic progress of SAs and SA subgroups compared to SAs and students generally. (Federal Graduation Rate, Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and retention)
Ensure written policies regarding the scheduling of practices and competition exist and are communicated.
Review missed class time for all sports teams on annual basis.

39. Operating Principle 2.2 Academic Support
Monitor Cycle 2 plans for improvement (if applicable).
Ensure appropriate academic support services are provided to all SAs.
Conduct academic support services evaluation once every four years for all services provided to SAs.
Institutional academic authorities outside athletics must conduct evaluation.

40. Operating Principle 3.1 Gender Issues
Monitor Cycle 2 plan for improvement (required).
Ensure matters concerning gender-issues are monitored, evaluated and addressed on a continuing basis.
Provide programs that address gender issues to staff, coaches and student-athletes.

41. Operating Principle 3.2 Diversity-Issues
Monitor Cycle 2 minority plan for improvement (required).
Ensure matters concerning diversity-issues are monitored, evaluated and addressed on continuing basis.
Communicate commitment to diversity to staff, coaches and SAs.

42. Operating Principle 3.2 Diversity-Issues
Actively recruit staff, coaches and SAs from underrepresented groups and diverse backgrounds.
Conduct assessment of hiring practices once every five years.
Ensure commitment to diversity in hiring practices at all times.
Provide programs that address diversity-issues to staff, coaches and student-athletes.

43. Operating Principle 3.3 SA Well-Being
Monitor Cycle 2 plans for improvement (if applicable).
Ensure SA exit interviews contain all required areas.
Ensure SA exit interviews are conducted in accordance with Bylaw
Ensure active SAAC and CHAMPS/Life Skills programs.

44. Operating Principle 3.3 SA Well-Being
Ensure written policies exist and are communicated in the following areas:
Financial aid and transfer grievance and appeals;
Other areas not mandated by NCAA legislation (e.g., harassment, problems with coaches, hazing).

45. Operating Principle 3.3 SA Well-Being
Ensure written policies exist, are evaluated annually and are communicated in the following areas:
Athletic training;
Sports medicine;
Emergency medical plans for practices and games;
Emergency medical plans for out-of-season and strength and conditioning; and
Travel policies.

46. Available Resources

47. Available Resources Handbook and self-study instrument (PDF).
Measurable standards.
ACS training videos.
Statement on board responsibilities (1.1).
Rules compliance evaluation guide (1.2).

48. Available Resources Academic Support Services Evaluation Guide (2.2).
NCAA Gender and Diversity Resources (3.1 and 3.2).
Transportation safety guidelines (3.3).
Financial aid appeals best practices (3.3).
Information for athletics certification liaisons.
Peer-review team member criteria.

49. Available Resources www.ncaa.org
Legislation and Governance / Rules Compliance / Athletics Certification (Division I)

50. Key Takeaways
Monitor progress on plans for improvement on annual basis, at minimum.
Record progress made on plans for improvement in centralized location on campus.
Use best practices to prepare for the self-study process annually.

51. Questions

52. Thank you!