Aug. 26, 1999
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A process which began nearly two years ago concluded today (August 26) when the NCAA announced that its Committee of Athletics Certification has certified Purdue University.
That came as good news to Dr. Richard Grace, who chaired the University's self-study team as it created a 500-page report for the NCAA's peer- review team. Some recommendations from that group followed as did adjustments by Purdue during the last year, resulting in Thursday's announcement.
"The greatest benefit of the certification process," says Grace, "is the self-study itself because it prompts communication throughout the University."
The NCAA requires each of its member institutions to undergo a recertification process every 10 years. The first step in this process is a self- study by the institution to determine whether its intercollegiate athletic programs meet the requirements of the NCAA's operating principals.
Purdue completed its self-study in May 1998, finding that Intercollegiate Athletics met the requirements with every NCAA operating principal.
More than 60 members of the faculty, administrative staff, coaching staff and student body participated in the year long examination. The self-study team was divided into four subcommittees, foucused on the following subjects:
Governanceand Commitment to Rules
Compliance (Chair: Martha Chiscon) AcademicIntegrity (Chair: Don Gentry) FiscalIntegrity (Chair: Tom Templin) Commitmentto Equity (Chair: Ann Hunt)The sub-committees examined a total of 17 operating principals, including topics such as the institutional mission, institutional control, rules- compliance accountability and evaluation, admissions and graduation data, academic support, financial controls and procedures, gender and minority issues and student-athlete welfare.
Each sub-committee evaluated whether the activities of the athletics program are in substantial conformity with each of the operating principals and whether the activities of the athletics program are consistent with the mission and purpose of the University. In the case of deficiencies, the sub- committees made recommendations for improvement. The committees were also charged with helping to identify continuous improvement recommendations.
The committees found Intercollegiate Athletics met with all the operating principals and offered the following continuous improvement recommendations:
From Governance and Commitment to Rules
Compliance - ensure that commitment to rules
compliance is more clearly spelled out in the
performance evaluation process.
From Academic Integrity - Expand accessibility to personal computers for student- athletes.
From Fiscal Integrity - (1) Review and enhance as necessary fiscal operating procedures and organizational structure of the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex, and (2) Establish a standard contractual structure for all full-time coaches.
From Commitment to Equity - (1) Ensure that commitment to equity is demonstrated throughout the Athletic Department facilities in wall hangings, trophy cases, and other displays, (2) Determine strategies for optimal delivery of medical services in order to provide high quality and equitable services in the 21st century, and (3) Ensure that all entering student- athletes are provided the general University information regarding academic services available to all students at Purdue.
The self-study report, containing approximately 500 pages of attachments and supported material, was approved by University President Steven C. Beering and forwarded to the NCAA for distribution to the Athletics Certification Peer-Review Team.
"I want to thank the people who sat in those long committee meetings and helped us all to better understand our University and especially our Athletic Department," says Grace.
Printed copies of the complete report are on reserve at the Hicks Undergraduate Library and are available at the Athletic Public Relations Office.