UH to begin year-long study as part of NCAA Division I athletics certification program

MANOA—The University of Hawai‘i at M?noa’s athletics program will begin a year-long, campus-wide study as part of the NCAA Division I athletics certification program.

UH M?noa completed its first certification self-study in 1996. At the 1997 convention, the NCAA Division I membership voted to change the frequency of athletics certification from once every five years to once every 10 years.

UH M?noa completed its second certification self-study in 2002, making the current self-study the third in the certification process for M?noa.

UH said in a statement that the athletics certification program’s purpose is to help ensure integrity in an institution’s athletics operation, the program opens up athletics to the rest of the university/college community and to the public, and institutions benefit by increasing campus-wide awareness and knowledge of their athletics programs, confirming strengths and developing plans to improve areas of concern.

The committee responsible for the study will include Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw, Associate Vice Chancellor Alan Yang, who will chair the committee, and faculty, staff, students, community members, and Athletics Department personnel. Four subcommittees have been established to review the areas of:

* Governance and Commitment to Rules Compliance. This subcommittee, chaired by Karl Kim, will review the areas of commitment to the NCAA and WAC, institutional goals, and fiscal integrity of the program.

* Academy Integrity. Chaired by Jackie Graessle, this group will look at student-athlete academic performance.

* Gender and Diversity. This subcommittee, chaired by Gay Satsuma, will study commitment to Title IX.

* Student-Athlete Welfare. Chaired by Tom Bingham, this group will examine support programs, and student-athlete rights and responsibilities.

A website has been established at http://studentaffairs.manoa.hawaii.edu/site/ncaa_certification.php to update the campus and community on the certification process, and to invite public comment on draft reports.

When UH M?noa has concluded its study, an external team of reviewers will conduct an evaluation visit on campus. The reviewers will be peers from other colleges, universities, or conference offices. The peer-review team will report to the NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification. The committee will then determine the institution’s certification status and announce the decision publicly.

The NCAA is a membership organization of colleges and universities that participate in intercollegiate athletics. The primary purpose of the Association is to maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body. Activities of the NCAA membership include formulating rules of play for NCAA sports, conducting national championships, adopting and enforcing standards of eligibility, and studying all phases of intercollegiate athletics.