NCAA Recertification
Cornell University
Preliminary Report from the Self-Study
February 2008
What is recertification?
NCAA process to ensure integrity in all
aspects of the university’s athletics program
– Cornell’s initial NCAA certification granted in 1999
Core of the process is the university’s self-
study, with expectation of broad university
participation
– Broad representation on subcommittees
– Feedback through series of public forums
– Self-study will be posted on web at
http://www.cornell.edu/NCAA/index.html
Cornell’s NCAA Recertification
Leadership
Self-study oversight provided by University
Steering Committee, comprised of faculty,
staff, students
Co-Chairs:
– Mary Opperman, Vice President for Human
Resources
– John Siliciano, Vice Provost and Professor of
Law
Three Areas of Study
Governance and Commitment to Rules Compliance:
Chair, Nelson Roth, Deputy University Counsel
Academic Integrity: Chair, Rosemary Avery, Chair, Policy
Analysis & Management, College of Human Ecology
Equity and Student-Athlete Well-Being: Chair, Dale
Grossman, Senior Lecturer, Applied Economics &
Management, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Self-Study Timeline
March 2007: Process began
Subcommittees have prepared draft report
Seeking campus input through public
forums
Final report due May 1, 2008
NCAA Peer Review Team Visit Nov. 4-6,
2008
NCAA decision expected shortly thereafter
Governance & Commitment to
Rules Compliance Topics
Institutional Control, Presidential Authority
and Shared Responsibilities
– Responsibility for the conduct of the intercollegiate
athletics program, including actions of staff members
and representatives of athletics programs
Rules Compliance
– Assure staff, student-athletes, and other individuals
and groups representing intercollegiate athletics
interests comply with applicable NCAA rules and
regulations
Institutional Control – Key Findings
Subcommittee found Cornell in compliance
with all NCAA requirements
– Opportunities for Improvement
Updating the Athletic Department compliance
manual (now completed)
Scheduling timely compliance review (completed in
December 2007)
Rules Compliance – Key Findings
Subcommittee found Cornell in compliance
with all NCAA requirements
– Opportunity for Improvement
A booster group’s bylaws lacked specific reference
to compliance (corrected in January 2008)
Academic Integrity Topics
Academic Standards
– Design and maintain the intercollegiate
athletics program as a vital component of the
educational system and consider student-
athletes an integral part of the student body
Academic Support
– Protect and enhance the educational well-
being of student-athletes and assure proper
emphasis on educational objectives
Academic Standards – Key Findings
Subcommittee found Cornell in compliance
with all NCAA requirements
– Note
Recruited student-athletes are held to admission
standards set by colleges and subject to same
admission procedures as all students
Student-athletes must achieve same standards as
all students to remain in academic good standing
(Cornell requirements more stringent than NCAA)
Academic Standards Findings, cont.
– Note
Graduation rates (six-year)
– Student-athletes graduate at lower rate (88%) than
non-athletes (92%) overall
– Male student-athletes graduate at lower rate than
female student-athletes, reflecting performance of
males vs. females in student body
– Analysis by race inconclusive due to small cohort
Academic Support – Key Findings
Subcommittee found Cornell in compliance
with all NCAA requirements
– Note
Proper balance between athletic and academic
expectations and opportunities
Adequate support services available to student-
athletes through referrals to university-wide
programs and programs offered by Athletics
Academic advising properly assigned to colleges
Equity & Student-Athlete Well-Being
Topics
Gender Issues
– Fair and equitable treatment of both male and female
student-athletes and athletics department personnel
Minority Issues
– Fair and equitable treatment of all minority student-
athletes and athletics department personnel
Student-Athlete Well-Being
– Protect and enhance the personal and educational
well-being of student-athletes
Gender Issues – Key Findings
Subcommittee found Cornell in compliance
with NCAA requirements
– Note
Competition and practice facilities for all sports
deemed adequate
– Opportunities for Improvement
Locker room, training, and/or meeting space needs
improvement in some cases: women’s crew,
women’s lacrosse, softball, volleyball
Women’s boathouse renovation was not completed
as required in 1999 NCAA recertification
Gender Issues Findings, cont.
– Note
Compensation for coaches of men’s and women’s
teams is determined using market data and other
factors, including experience, performance, and
retention
Proportion of women athletes has grown beyond
the goal set in 1999 (now 46%) to bring
participation closer to proportion of women in
student body
– Cornell must plan for growth in women’s athletic
opportunities to keep pace with anticipated increase
in proportion of women students overall
Minority Issues – Key Findings
Subcommittee found Cornell in compliance
with NCAA requirements
– Note
Diversity among student-athletes appears to lag
behind proportion of minority students overall
– Particular issue among Asian-American and Black
student-athlete cohorts
– However, student-athletes identifying themselves as
“other” race/ethnicity has grown from 12% to 25% in
last 3 years
– Recommend continued partnership with Admissions on
minority student recruitment
Minority Issues Findings, cont.
– Note
Staff diversity in Athletics has improved and
reflects university and nationwide trends
– 10 percent of mid-management staff are minorities
– 2 minority head coaches (6% of total)
– 10% of assistant coaches are minorities
Recruitment practices in athletics are sufficient
Student-Athlete Well-Being – Key
Findings
Subcommittee found university to be in
compliance with NCAA requirements
– Note
Athletics’ Academic Support Services are well-
integrated with university programs
All student-athletes have access to services
Student-athletes are made aware of university
services in areas of career counseling, and personal
health and safety, including alcohol and other drugs
Athletic training and sports medicine services are
equitably provided to all student-athletes according
to NCAA guidelines and meet all NCAA standards
Student-Athlete Well-Being
Findings, cont.
– Note
Student-athletes have opportunity to provide
feedback about their athletic experience through
end-of-season evaluations and senior exit surveys
and interviews
Athletics has an appropriate grievance and appeals
process in place for student-athletes
Student-athlete rights and responsibilities are well-
defined in Student-Athlete Handbook
Student-athletes have opportunities to participate
in Athletics governance through the Student
Athlete Advisory Council
Next Steps
March 6, 2008
– Present draft report to Board of Trustees’ Committee
on Student Life
March 11, 2008
– Open Forum, 5-6 PM, Hall of Fame Room, Schoellkopf
May 1, 2008
– Final report due to NCAA
November 4-6, 2008
– Peer Review Team Visit
Decision by NCAA Committee on Athletics
Certification to follow
Stay Informed
Cornell’s NCAA recertification web site:
http://www.cornell.edu/NCAA/index.html
NCAA Recertification
Steering Committee
Mary Opperman, Vice President Carolyn Campbell-McGovern, Sr.
for Human Resources, Co-Chair Associate Director, Ivy Group
John Siliciano, Vice Provost and Doris Davis, Associate Provost for
Professor of Law, Co-Chair Admissions and Enrollment
Carolyn Ainslie, Vice President for Steve Erber, Associate Athletic
Planning and Budget Director
Steven Attanasio, Student-athlete, Amy Foster, Director of Athletic
Rosemary Avery, Chair, Policy Compliance
Analysis and Management Steve Golding, Executive Vice
Anita Brenner, Associate Athletic President for Finance and
Director, Senior Woman Administration
Administrator Dale Grossman, Senior Lecturer,
Tommy Bruce, Vice President for Applied Economics and
University Communications Management
Kent Hubbell, Dean of Students
NCAA Recertification
Steering Committee, cont.
Francis Kallfelz, Professor of Josh Perlin, Student
Clinical Sciences Nelson Roth, Deputy University
Harry Katz, Dean, School of Counsel
Industrial and Labor Relations David Skorton, President
Ed McLaughlin, Professor, Charles Wolcott, Dean of the
Applied Economics and University Faculty
Management, Faculty Athletics Kristin Walker, Manager of
Representative Academic Support Services,
Susan Murphy, Vice President Institutional Planning and
for Student and Academic Assessment
Services Chris Wlosinski, Assistant
Andrew Noel, Director of Athletic Director
Athletics
Carolyn Chauncey Neuman,
Trustee and Alumna
Governance & Commitment to
Rules Compliance Subcommittee
Chair: Nelson Roth, Deputy Mary Beth Grant, Judicial
University Counsel Administrator
Steven Attanasio, Student-athlete, Jere Haas, Professor, Nutritional
Class of 2008 Science
Rick Banks, Director, Alumni Tom Keane, Director of Financial
Affairs and Development Services Aid for Scholarships and Policy
Analysis
Lee Cartmill, Director of Finance
and Administration, CU Library Joe Lucia, Head Men’s Swimming
and Diving Coach
Mike Dickinson, University Auditor
Heather Nichols, Admissions
Amy Foster, Director of Relations Director, Alumni Affairs
Compliance, Athletics and Development
Academic Integrity Subcommittee
Chair: Rosemary Avery, Chair, Policy Analysis and Management,
College of Human Ecology
Richard Blood, Head Softball Coach
Doris Davis, Associate Provost for Admissions and Enrollment
David DeVries, Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Hilary Holland, Student-athlete, Class of 2009
Frank Rossi, Associate Professor of Horticulture, College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences
Chris Wlosinski, Assistant Athletic Director
Equity & Student-Athlete
Well-Being Subcommittee
Chair: Dale Grossman, Senior Lecturer, Judy Hart, Director of Human Resource
Applied Economics and Management, Management, Student and Academic
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Services
Lynette Chappell-Williams, Director, Office Catherine Holmes, Associate Dean of
of Workforce Diversity, Equity, and Life Students, Student Activities
Quality
Laura Lewis, Director, Undergraduate
Ray Dalton, Executive Director, Office of Student Services, Industrial and Labor
Minority Educational Affairs Relations
Pam Dollaway, Human Resource Manager, Janice Nsor, Student-athlete, Class of 2009
Athletics and Physical Education
Barry Strauss, Professor of History
Betsy East, Assistant Dean, Student
Services, College of Engineering Maria Terrell, Director of Teaching Assistant
Programs, Mathematics
Steve Erber, Associate Athletic Director
Wendy Tarlow, Associate University Counsel
Marne Einarson, Senior Associate,
Institutional Research and Planning Dayna Smith, Head Women’s Basketball
Coach