University of Wyoming Athletics Certification
Recommendations from the 1994-96 Self-Study
Governance - Institutional Mission
1.Undertake a systematic program to ensure wide publication and dissemination of the mission statement of the division of intercollegiate athletics in the University General Bulletin, and other appropriate publications. This will be a cooperative effort among the division of intercollegiate athletics, the office of registration and records, and the division of University relations and media services. The project will be concluded with the next publication cycle, fall 1996.
Response: The DIA Mission Statement is currently included in the University's General Bulletin. The DIA Policy and Procedures manual and the Student-Athlete Handbook. For the future, the DIA will provide even broader distribution to include media guides, Guide for Boosters and the UW web site. See Plan for Improvement 1.1-B for additional information.
2.Undertake a revision of the mission statement of the division of intercollegiate athletics
to articulate more specifically the division's commitment to the goal of increased
diversity. This will be initiated by the University athletics advisory committee, and carried out through the established institutional consultative
process. It will be concluded by the close of the spring semester, 1995.
Response: The DIA Mission Statement was last revised in 1994; however, in 1996 the goals and objectives of the DIA were updated and included in a working document - Director of Athletics Bulletin #1, Policy for Intercollegiate Athletics. While these principles were not formally incorporated into the Mission Statement, they have formed the goals which the DIA has strived to achieve during the past four years. Many of the achievements toward accomplishing these goals are documented in the Self-Study Report. It should be noted that the Director of Athletics Bulletin #1 was formally approved by the Athletic Planning Committee on December 7, 1999.
Governance - Institutional Control
1. It is recommended that all fund raising for intercollegiate athletics, including booster club
activities, be the direct responsibility of the division of intercollegiate
athletics.
Response: Since 1995-96, Cowboy Joe activities have been under the direct control of the DIA and all funds are processed through the institution's regular accounting system.
Governance - Shared Responsibilities
1. The University athletics advisory committee should be expanded, and the role of the committee in relation to policy and oversight issues strengthened and clarified to reflect the University's commitment to the one-plus-three model of athletics control.
Response: The Athletic Planning Committee has been improved to include three active subcommittees in the areas of equity, academics and fiscal. See Operating Principle 1.2.
Governance - Assignment of Rules - Compliance Responsibilities
1. Transfer certain compliance functions relating to continuing eligibility, currently being performed within the division of intercollegiate athletics and supervised by the FAR, to the office of registration and records. Final review and signing of the form will be the responsibility of the registrar and the FAR. A transition period for this transfer will begin in the fall 1994 with completion by the beginning of fall semester, 1995.
Response: Since 1995, the FAR and the Registrar have had the final authorization to certify eligibility of student-athletes. See Operating Principles 1.3 Item #7 and 2.1 Item #5.
2. Development of a written policy for processing alleged or self-discovered violations of NCAA rules to replace the informal process in effect.
Response: Completed. See Operating Principle 1.3 Self-Study Item #3.
University of Wyoming Athletics Certification
Recommendations from the 1994-96 Self-Study
Academic Integrity - Academic Authority
1. Per Operating Principle 3, Academic Authority, it is recommended that the office registration and records assume the responsibility for certifying continuing eligibility of student-athletes as noted in the recommendation in Section 1, Self-Study Item 5:assignment of rules compliance responsibilities. This change will be completed by the beginning of fall semester 1995.
Response: Since 1995, the Registrar has been responsible for certifying continuing eligibility of student-athletes.
Academic Integrity - Academic Support
1. It is recommended that the AACO be identified as a separate program unit and be scheduled for regular program evaluation within the overall University internal program evaluation process. The program will be included in the campus program review schedule by October 1994.
Response: As part of the change of the Athletic Planning Committee, the Academic Integrity subcommittee has been charged with the responsibility to provide regular program evaluation of the AACO. Their review has consisted of regular review of academic information on student-athletes as a part of the APC meetings.
In the current Self-Study, a recommendation has been made to formalize this review to include the regular review of prescribed "benchmark" data, (i.e., graduation rate, satisfactory progress hours and GPA, number of student-athletes receiving tutoring, etc.) For further discussion, see Plan for Improvement #2.1.A.
University of Wyoming Athletics Certification
Recommendations from the 1994-96 Self-Study
Fiscal Integrity - Financial Control
1. It is recommended that a change in the University policy for managing agency funds be instituted, and the Cowboy Joe Club checking account be closed. All of the checking account transactions will be processed through the University accounting system. This change will subject the club's checking account transactions to the University's requirements for documentation, review and oversight.
The vice president for administration and finance will initiate and complete the process to change the University's policy governing the use of funds managed for external groups to accommodate the range of needs of these external groups. The club will close its checking account by June 30, 1995.All subsequent transactions will be processed through the University accounting system.
Response: The recommendations for all checking account transactions to be processed through the University accounting system has been implemented and is currently in use.
2. The club's other bank accounts (certificates of deposit or other interest bearing accounts), endowment funds (invested by the UW Foundation), and the cash value of life insurance policies be recorded in the club's agency fund account in the University accounting system. The club will submit the necessary accounting information to the manager of accounting by July 31 of each fiscal year beginning July 31, 1995.
Response: The Cowboy Joe Club bank accounts, including certificates of deposit, interest bearing accounts and endowment funds along with the cash value of life insurance policies are now recorded as part of the Cowboy Joe Club agency fund account as was recommended.
3. Revenue and expenses of gifts-in-kind be recorded in the appropriate fund groups on the University accounting
system. The club will submit the necessary accounting information to the manager of accounting by July 31 of each fiscal year beginning July 31,
1995.
Response: Both revenues and expenses related to gifts in kind are now recorded as a part of the appropriate and related fund groups within the University accounting
system.
University of Wyoming Athletics Certification
Recommendations from the 1994-96 Self-Study
Commitment to Equity - Minority Issues
1. It is recommended that the UW Graduate School designated two graduate assistantships for qualified minority former student-athletes who wish to pursue masters or doctoral study. It is recommended that one of these students be male and one female. Preferably, the students would be enrolled in graduate programs where counseling skills are an accepted part of the discipline and the graduate curriculum, e.g. counseling, psychology, education, nutrition, health sciences. However, other disciplinary interests of the candidate might be accommodated if the respective receiving departments were agreeable to having the graduate student's assignment partially in athletics. These students would report to the head of their disciplinary department and the division of intercollegiate athletics. In order to maintain close contact between the graduate students and their disciplinary department, a split assignment would be agreed upon in advance by the athletics division and the home disciplinary department. For example, the student might be assigned to responsibilities in the division of intercollegiate athletics for 10 hours a week and in the home department for 10 hours per week. The student's major assignment in the division would be to serve as a mentor to student-athletes.
Response: This item has been addressed in the report - Self-Study Item 4.2 Item #5.Completed.
2. It is recommended that the division of intercollegiate athletics continue its efforts to recruit and retain additional student-athletes from underrepresented minority groups. The division should work closely with the academic directors of the ethnic studies programs in the recruiting process and retention activities once the student-athletes are on campus.
Response: The department continues to work with the Employment Practices Offices, the Office of Student Life, the Minority Affairs Office, the Multicultural Resource Center, the African American Studies, the American Indian Studies, and the Chicano Studies department as resources for minority awareness issues. (Ref. Table 2 of Equity, Welfare and Sportsmanship section.)
3. It is recommended that the division of intercollegiate athletics continue to explore opportunities to add both women and minorities to its coaching and administrative ranks.
Response: The University has demonstrated tremendous growth in this
area. Please refer to Operating Principle 4.1 Item #3 of the attached study for specific advances since the last reporting
cycle. In addition, the institution continues to monitor progress through the support of the Athletic Planning
Committee. (Ref. Table 1 and 2 of Equity, Welfare and Sportsmanship section.
)
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