University completes, presents NCAA self study

Report examines athletics' strengths, opportunities

KU administrators presented a draft of an athletics department self-study to a crowd of about 30 at a town hall meeting March 31. The self-study, required by the NCAA, comprehensively reviews the current state of Kansas Athletics as part of the recertification process.

Frank DeSalvo, associate vice provost for student success, and chair of the self study steering committee, led the meeting, giving those in attendance an overview of the self-study, its findings and why it is required.

“The purpose of the report is to document the progress that we’ve made,” he said. “We’re also happy to have the chance to present the university and the public with a transparent look at the University of Kansas athletics.”

DeSalvo was joined by Chancellor Robert Hemenway, athletics department officials and report coordinators Jerry Bailey, associate professor of educational leadership and policy studies; and Stephen McAllister, professor of law. The report, required every 10 years by the NCAA, takes a look at seven operating principles: institutional control, rules compliance, academic standards, academic support, gender issues, diversity issues and student athlete well-being.

Much of the discussion at the meeting focused on facilities. The report outlines plans for an Olympic village that would add new facilities for track and soccer and renovate facilities for softball and baseball. Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director, assured those in attendance that the project is still in a fundraising stage and that no timetable has been set for work to start.

Athletics officials touted the improvement of facilities for women’s sports, improvements made in gender equity and rules compliance since KU’s last self-study in 1999. A boathouse was recently completed and opened for the women’s rowing team and several women’s locker rooms have been renovated, Marchiony said. There are now also five full-time compliance officials, when five years ago, there was only one.

Hemenway spoke about the importance of the NCAA and student athletics, as well as the symbiotic nature between athletics and the academic aspects of the university. He plans on writing a book about intercollegiate athletics and American society after completing his service as chancellor this summer.

“I think there’s something very American about competition, about modeling behavior for our young people,” he said. “The NCAA is a large part of what and how student athletes progress at a place like the University of Kansas.”

Work on the self-report began in March 2008, when a 52-member, university-wide steering committee was formed. Five sub-committees began work in August and report coordinators drafted the version of the report presented at the meeting from documents presented by each of the subcommittees. The committee will now finalize the report and submit it to the NCAA by May 1. A three-member site-visit team will visit campus in October. The NCAA is expected to issue findings by February 2010.

A draft of the report can be found online.