In an ongoing process for NCAA certification that began last fall, the University has finished its preliminary draft of the Division I Athletics Certification Self-Study report.
Certification, which is mandated every 10 years by the NCAA and determines a school’s eligibility to compete in NCAA athletics, will follow the self-study pending satisfactory evaluations from an outside peer review team in November and the NCAA Committee on Athletics Certification Jan. 2006.
More than 30 members of the Duke community—including faculty, students and administrators—participated in the evaluation of Duke athletics. The examining body was divided into a steering committee and three subcommittees: Equity and Student-Athlete Welfare, Governance and Commitment to Rules Compliance and Academic Integrity.
The self-study’s primary stated goal was “to affirm that the policies and actual practices of the Duke University Department of Athletics in governance, academics, and commitment to equity and student-athlete welfare are in accord with the operating principles of the NCAA.”
As many officials expected, the study revealed no major problems, Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta said.
“There are no surprises. We have an outstanding athletic program,” said Moneta, who serves as chair of the steering committee. “The process revealed that we run a very clean program and is much above the [NCAA] standards.”
Compiled into a 99-page report, the self-study provides an in-depth examination of virtually every aspect of Duke athletics—from the administrative chain of command to the admission processes for athletes.
The report documents the progress Duke has made since its initial certification in 1998. This includes diversifying the coaching staff, improving facilities for Tier 2 “Olympic” sports and annually evaluating equity at all levels within the program. The report can be accessed online at the University’s NCAA certification website.
Upon the completion of early drafts, Moneta presented the document to several campus groups, including the athletic and academic councils and the Board of Trustees. The general reception was positive, Moneta said, and many appreciated the comprehensiveness of the report.
According to the study, however, there are still areas where Duke can improve its athletics program.
The Academic Integrity subcommittee addressed the question of admission standards for athletes compared to the student body at-large. Although the University’s admission standards for athletes have not changed, the improving quality of Duke applicants overall has led to a widening academic gap between admitted student-athletes and students at-large, Moneta said.
He also stressed the importance of giving student-athletes the same academic opportunities offered to the general student body, like studying abroad.
“We need to continue to make sure that the support services improve and that students maintain their academic standing,” said Kathleen Smith, professor of biology and faculty athletics representative.
Senior Jesse Longoria, Duke Student Government president and DSG representative in the certification process, hopes members of the community will use the self-study to gain a better understanding of the athletics program.
“What’s important and what was really good was that we could have a better understanding of where the athletic program stands,” Longoria said. “We want to involve students, faculty members and student-athletes, and we want to make the community aware of the document.”
The University will submit the final draft of the self-study to the NCAA Committee on Athletics Certification July 15.
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