09/14/2007
OXFORD, Miss. – The University of Mississippi has begun a
yearlong, campuswide study of its athletics programs as
part of the NCAA Division I athletics certification
program.
UM completed its first certification self-study in 1998-99.
The new study is the second in the certification process
for Ole Miss.
“Members of the NCAA instituted the certification process
to help universities and colleges provide high-quality
academic and athletics programs for student athletes,”
Chancellor Robert Khayat said. “Self-evaluation is a
healthy exercise for individuals as well as organizations.”
The self-study required by NCAA’s certification process is
similar to those required by agencies that accredit
academic programs but focuses solely on athletics.
Specific areas to be studied during the NCAA program are
academic integrity, governance and commitment to rules
compliance, equity and student athletes’ well-being.
The certification program and its standards were
overwhelmingly supported by the Division I membership at
the 1993 NCAA Convention. At the 1997 convention, the
membership voted to change the frequency of athletics
certification from once every five years to once every 10
years.
The program’s purpose is to help ensure integrity in
members’ athletics operations by throwing them open to the
rest of the university community and to the public.
Institutions involved in the program benefit by increasing
campuswide awareness and knowledge of their athletics
programs, confirming their strengths and developing plans
to improve areas of concern.
The steering committee responsible for UM’s study includes
Khayat; the committee’s chair, Morris Stocks, senior vice
chancellor for planning and operations; and various members
of UM’s faculty, staff and student body; as well as
athletics department personnel. A member of the NCAA
membership conducted a one-day orientation videoconference
Thursday (Sept. 13) with the committee and its
subcommittees.
Within each area to be studied by the committee, the
program has standards, called operating principles, which
were adopted by the association to place a “measuring
stick” by which all Division I members are evaluated.
Once Ole Miss has conducted its study, an external team of
reviewers is to conduct an evaluation visit on the campus.
The reviewers will be from other colleges and universities,
or conference offices.
The external reviewers report to the NCAA Division I
Committee on Athletics Certification, which determines UM’s
certification status and announces its decision publicly.
The three options of certification status are certified,
certified with conditions and not certified.
Institutions have an opportunity to correct deficient
areas. Those that don’t take corrective actions may be
ruled ineligible for NCAA championships. Tough sanctions
also can be imposed on institutions failing to conduct a
comprehensive self-study.
The NCAA is a membership organization of colleges and
universities participating in intercollegiate athletics.
The association’s primary purpose is to maintain
intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the
education 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.
For more information on athletics programs at UM, go to