HOUSTON, Texas---President Robert B. Sloan, Jr. announced today that Houston Baptist University will begin a year-long, campus-wide effort to study its athletics program as part of the NCAA Division I athletics certification program.  Specific areas the study will cover are academic integrity, governance and commitment to rules compliance, and commitment to gender and diversity and student-athlete well-being. 

While academic accreditation is common in colleges and universities, this program focuses solely on certification of athletics programs.  Following a two-year pilot project, the NCAA Division I membership overwhelmingly supported the program and its standards at the 1993 NCAA Convention.

The athletics certification program's purpose is to help ensure integrity in the institution's athletics operations.  The program opens up athletics to the rest of the university/college community and to the public.  Institutions will benefit by increasing campus-wide awareness and knowledge of the athletics program, confirming its strengths and developing plans to improve areas of concern.

The committee responsible for the study will include President Sloan, Rita Tauer, HBU Dean of Continuing Studies who will serve as Chair and various members of the institution's faculty, staff and alumni association, as well as department of athletics personnel.  A member of the NCAA membership services staff will conduct a one-day orientation videoconference with the committee and its subcommittees early in the process.

Within each area to be studied by the committee, the program has standards known as operating principles that were adopted by the Association to establish benchmarks by which all Division I members are evaluated. 

When HBU has concluded its study, an external team of reviewers will conduct a three-day evaluation visit on campus.  Those 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 on Athletics Certification will then determine the institution's certification status and announce the decision publicly.  For institutions that fail to conduct a comprehensive self-study or to correct problems, sanctions could be imposed.

The three options of certification status are:  certified; certified with conditions and not certified.  While institutions will have an opportunity to correct deficient areas, those institutions that do not take corrective actions may be ruled ineligible for NCAA championships.

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.

ATHLETICS STEERING COMMITTEE

Robert Sloan - University President
Paul Bonicelli - Provost
Hunter Baker - Associate Provost
Sharon Saunders - VP, University Relations
Sandy Mooney - VP, Financial Affairs
Kathy Anzivino - Associate VP, Student Life
James Steen - VP, Enrollment Management
Phil Rhodes - Senior Director of Institutional Research
David Moss - Assistant Athletic Director, Compliance
Steve Moniaci - Athletics Director (Interim)
Eileen Crowell - Title IX Officer, VP, Operations
Mary-Ellen Hall - Senior Woman Administrator (SWA)
John Yarrington - Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR)
Bobby Towery - Athletics Campus Liaison (ACL), Athletics Committee, Chair
Charles Fix - Director of ITS
Jackie Horn - Faculty Assembly Past President
Frederic Hinnenkamp - Student Athlete Representative
Laci Humphrey - Student Athlete Representative
Noelle Marchand - Student Athlete Representative
David Toney - Student Athlete Representative
Steve Braun - Alumni Representative
Rick Bailey - Board of Trustee Representative
Vivian Camacho - Director of Alumni Relations
Levon Hayrapetyan - Faculty (School of Business)
Randy Garbs - HBU-Community Representative
Rita Tauer - Athletics Steering Committee, Chair/Athletics Certification Chair
  
GOVERNANCE and COMMITMENT to RULES COMPLIANCE SUBCOMMITTEE

Jackie Horn - Governance and Commitment to Rules Compliance Subcommittee, Chair/Faculty Assembly Past President
David Moss - Assistant Athletic Director, Compliance
John Yarrington - Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR)
Jared Moon - Head Baseball Coach
Misty Jones - Head Women's Soccer Coach
Barbara Tolar - Asst. Director, Compliance/Scholarships
Matthew Boyleston - Faculty (College of Arts & Humanities)
Carolee John - Faculty (School of Nursing and Allied Health)
Bonnie Fresch - Admissions Coordinator/Transfer Specialist
Sarah Bible - Director of Recruiting

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY SUBCOMMITTEE

Bobby Towery - Academic Integrity Subcommittee, Chair/Athletics Campus Liaison (ACL), Athletics Committee, Chair
Colette Cross - Director of Spiritual Life/University Chaplain
Todd Buchanan - Head Women's Basketball Coach
Kaddie Platt - Head Volleyball Coach
Brian Runnels - Athletics Certifying Officer (ACO)
Jim Hutchison - Director of Success and Advising
Barrett Bell - Executive Director, Financial Services
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