U. prepares for NCAA recertification

The University officially entered the final stages of the NCAA Division I recertification process Tuesday evening with the arrival of a recertification team. The NCAA representatives held a press conference to conclude the year-long process shortly after beginning their final review, and announced that the NCAA is expected to approve the recertification by the fall. Recertification is a standard review of every NCAA Division I school's athletic department every five years. The team that studied the University's Athletic Department consisted of peer reviewers from other Division I institutions, Penn administrators and Ivy League Senior Associate Director Carolyn Campbell. University of Delaware President David Roselle --Ewho chaired the recertification team -- led the meeting, which was also attended by Thurston Banks of Tennessee Technical University, Stephen Colicci of Syracuse University and Patricia Thomas of Georgetown University. Penn's representatives to the meeting included Michael Burton from the Office of the President, and University spokesperson Ken Wildes. The recertification procedure involves 12 to 14 months of self-study "to ensure that Penn's athletic programs meet or exceed NCAA guidelines for governance and rules compliance, academic integrity, fiscal integrity and commitment to equity," according to the report. Roselle noted that the NCAA hopes that the recertification process will help schools improve their athletic departments. "The [recertification] committee is a reason for action plans by the institutions to be set up," he said. He noted that no obstacles exist to prevent the University from getting recertified, adding that Penn's athletic programs are far better than "the great majority" and the action plans presented were "very aggressive? very positive indications." Developing a strategy for targeted recruitment of minority athletes and an ongoing evaluation of academic support activities for student-athletes are among the report's strategies for improving the University's athletic department. One of the reasons the University appears to be "ahead of the game" in this process is that it was one of the few institutions that took part in an NCAA pilot program, according to Roselle. About seven years ago, the University volunteered to take part in a new process that became the recertification review when the NCAA adopted the standards in 1993. "[The University] was a real leader and one of the first to be certified by a pilot program in the entire nation," he said. NCAA representatives made their original orientation visit in February 1996, which was followed by the University's self-study. Over a two-day visit to the campus this week, the recertification team talked to University administrators, faculty and students and took tours of athletic facilities looking to evaluate the viability of the University's self-study. The committee will now compile its own report, which will be sent back to the University for any corrections. After this report is sent to the NCAA, in either July or October the NCAA will vote on the University's recertification. After the vote, the NCAA will inform the University on the results concerning its athletic program -- which Roselle said is virtually guaranteed to pass.