Leadership Exchange - Summer 2010

dispelling the common misconception that athletics lower an institution’s academic integrity. In fact, student-athletes are less likely to be found at the bottom of the academic profile than non-athletes and student-athlete grade point averages (GPAs) are traditionally higher than non-athlete GPAs.

While female students typically have higher academic profiles than their male counterparts, the study demonstrates that female athletics scholarship recipients also have higher academic standing than female non-athletes. At DII institutions, the phrase student-athlete truly describes the athletes receiving scholarships.

The NCAA heavily emphasizes increased diversity among student-athletes, coaches, and athletics program administrators, which aligns with the diversity objectives of most higher education institutions. Athletics programs can play an important role in increasing diversity on college campuses. The study shows that athletics scholarships increase both the geographic and ethnic diversity of new students. According to the study, 20 percent of athletics scholarship recipients are minorities, which was a higher minority percentage than non-athletics scholarship recipients who attend DII institutions. As SSAOs coordinate efforts with admissions and enrollment management to expand student ethnic and geographic diversity, intercollegiate athletics is a critical component in achieving diversity objectives.

Many colleges and universities are struggling to equalize the male-to-female ratio of students on campus. Athletics scholarships can help increase the number of new male students. In 15 of the 18 institutions examined, male enrollment of student-athletes (57 percent) is significantly higher than the overall male enrollment (42 percent). Athletics can help maintain an even gender balance on college and university campuses, particularly if institutions sponsor football programs.

College and universities encourage community service participation by students. The study demonstrates that DII student-athletes who receive scholarships are more likely to engage in community service and volunteer activities than non-athletes. In fact, of all the institutions evaluated, less than half of non-athletes perform community service, while nearly 60 percent of student-athletes serve their community. The ability of athletics to integrate and engage the campus and community in collaborative projects has proven to build and strengthen institutional affinity among both internal and external stakeholders.

The study also measures the pros and cons of offering a fewer number of larger athletics scholarships versus a larger number of smaller athletics scholarships. The results indicate that DII institutions offering smaller athletics scholarships are operating at optimal levels in terms of net tuition revenue. Essentially, the costs of housing student-athletes and the operating budgets for their sports can often be offset by revenue generated by the increasing number of students that athletics drives to an institution.

The NCAA was also interested in assessing all of the schools that student-athletes consider before deciding to attend a DII school. When evaluating the student-athlete recruits of DII schools, the study finds that potential student-athletes typically choose among other DII schools offering partial athletics scholarships, rather than DI, DIII, or National Association of

Intercollegiate Athletics schools. If athletics scholarships were discontinued, DII schools would be recruiting at a competitive disadvantage. Scholarship opportunities are a key reason that students choose to compete at the DII level. Furthermore, student-athletes that leave or choose to go elsewhere if scholarships are reduced or eliminated would be replaced by lesser recruited student-athletes, which would result in a lower level of play for most sports, especially the team sports. If DII wants to continue its high level of play and competitiveness, it is vital to maintain athletics scholarships.

Overall, the study concludes that DII athletics scholarships, particularly when offered in smaller amounts to a greater number of student-athletes, help institutions reach optimal net tuition revenue. In addition, student-athletes contribute favorably to the academic profile, gender balance, community engagement, and cultural and geographic diversity of the institutions they attend.

Division III Athletics Programs

The NCAA conducted a survey in early 2008 to determine the opinions of its DIII member institutions about the direction of DIII athletics. The growth of DIII athletics has been steady and consistent, with approximately 120 new members since 1990 and an estimated 60 institutions currently seeking membership. Based on the exponential growth, the NCAA realizes that restructuring may be a necessity in the near future. The NCAA surveyed current DIII institutions to determine the best future course of action.

Before delving into the results of the “Division III Membership Survey,” which was completed by 82 percent of the 447 member institutions, it is important to note the Division III Philosophy Statement:

Colleges and universities in Division III place highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience and on the successful completion of all students’ academic programs. They seek to establish and maintain an environment in which a student-athlete’s athletic activities are conducted as an integral part of the student-athlete’s educational experience.

Leaders of DIII institutions contend that athletics programs help promote diversity on campus and that a healthy balance has been achieved between academic success and athletics, which is similar to the philosophy and mission of DII.

Members of Division II believe that a well-conducted intercollegiate athletics program, based on sound educational principles and practices, is a proper part of the educational mission of a university or college and that the educational well-being and academic success of the participating student-athlete is of primary concern.