Oregon State University has recently begun to renew its NCAA certification. The NCAA requires that all Division 1 institutions (about 325 of them) undergo certification about once every ten years. The certification itself involved an in-depth self examination of nearly all aspects of our athletic operations. Our self study is reviewed by the NCAA, and by representatives from peer institutions, and, ultimately, the certification is granted (or not) based on a complex set of criteria that depend not only on where the program has been but also on current and future plans for program improvement.
Ultimately, the NCAA’s motive for having institutions undergo certification is to provide a clear and unambiguous set of expectations regarding the high standards that the NCAA sets for athletic programs. These standards include everything from the governance of programs, through an examination of how we manage compliance with NCAA rules while maintaining high academic standards, and include an emphasis on student-athlete well being, gender equity and diversity. Additional information about these areas of self study is included under the topical headings below.
The self study process is designed to seek out wide ranging perspectives from multiple stakeholder groups, including the general public. These perspectives are important if we are to develop a realistic assessment of the state of our programs. With this in mind, we have set up a four public out-reach events throughout the month of January to invite and encourage public input.
In addition, there is a blog area on this web page to enable anyone with access to a web browser to have a chance to offer their thoughts and perspectives.
If you have an interest in Beaver sports, if you have thoughts about the state of any of our 17 intercollegiate sport programs, if you have concerns about any aspect of OSU’s intercollegiate programs, we need to hear from you. We look forward to any and all contributions that you would be willing to share with us. Thank you.
Rich Holdren, Chair
NCAA Certification Committee and
Associate Vice President for Research
