UA Completes Self-Study for NCAA Athletics Certification Process

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama has submitted its self-study to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as part of the process to recertify the University’s athletics program under the NCAA Athletics Certification program.

The self-study covers governance and commitment to rules compliance, academic integrity and commitment to equity and student-athlete well-being. The detailed study was conducted over the last eight months by a steering committee and three subcommittees under the direction of UA Provost Judy Bonner. It is available for review at http://provost.ua.edu/ncaa.

“The steering committee and subcommittees charged with completing this important self-study have worked tirelessly to produce a document that accurately reflects the activities and progress of our athletics program,” Bonner said.

Members of the committees represented a broad range of academic disciplines and included a mix of faculty, non-athletic administrative staff and representatives of the athletics department.

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

UA completed its first certification self-study in 1999. At the 1997 convention, the Division I membership voted to change the frequency of athletics certification from once every five years to once every 10 years. The current self-study was the second in the certification process for UA.

The current recertification process will continue in October when an external team of reviewers will conduct an evaluation visit on campus. The peer review team will report to the NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification, which will then determine the institution’s certification status and announce the decision publicly. The process is expected to be completed by February 2008.