NCAA Division I Certification Study

Introduction
In Aug. 2007, UMKC began a year-and-a-half long, campus-wide study of its athletics program as part of the National Collegiate Athletics Association's (NCAA) Division I certification process. Specific areas of study during certification include academic and fiscal integrity, governance, rules compliance, commitment to equity, student-athlete welfare and sportsmanship. The purpose of the certification program is to ensure integrity in UMKC's athletics operations.

While academic accreditation is common in athletics and universities, the NCAA program focuses solely on certification of athletics programs. Since 1997, the NCAA requires all Division I schools to complete a full athletics certification process every 10 years, which takes approximately two years to complete.

UMKC initially was certified in Feb., 2000.

UMKC's self-study will be completed by May, 2008. Once the university concludes its study, a three-person external team of reviewers assigned by the NCAA will conduct a two-day minimum evaluation visit on campus in the summer/fall of 2008. The reviewers will be peers from other colleges, universities or conference offices. That team will report to the independent NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification, which subsequently will determine the institution's certification status and publicly announce the decision in February, 2009.

NCAA Certification Steering Committee

Chair
Mel Tyler, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

Sub-Chairs
Jim Wanser, Associate Director, Counseling, Health and Testing Center (Gender & Minority Equity Issues)
Judy McCormick, Associate Teaching Professor, College of Arts and Sciences (Academic Integrity)
Chris Brown, Professor, Counseling & Psychology (Student-Athlete Well-Being)
Dan Weddle, Professor, School of Law (Governance)

Additional Committee Members
Guy Bailey, Chancellor
Rick Anderson, Interim Vice Chancellor, Administrative Services
Ken Ferguson, JD, Faculty Athletics Representative
Gail Hackett, Provost
Tim Hall, Director of Athletics
Janet Justus, Associate Athletics Director for Administration
Lora Lacey-Haun, Dean, School of Nursing
Mary Larson-Diaz, Deputy Chancellor for External Affairs
Pellom McDaniels, Assistant Professor, History
Sean McClain, SGA President
Jordan Miller, UMKC Men's Golf Student-Athlete
Bonnie Painter, Staff Council President
Ed Underwood, Director of Institute for Urban Education
Chuck Vogt, Community Member
Carla Wilson, Senior Associate Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator
David Yost, Athletics Foundation Board Member

Couldn't attend the Community Open Forum?

Please find below the open forum handout and presentation.

- NCAA Open Forum Presentation
- NCAA Open Forum Handout

An additional resource is below: the NCAA's Measurable Standards for its Operating Principles

- NCAA Measurable Standards Document

If you have any questions about the process or findings, please contact Mel Tyler at tylerm@umkc.edu.