NADIIIAA Summer ForumJune 6, 2006

Integration – Education & Athletics,

A Model for SuccessDebbie LazorikBob Malekoff

Ronda Seagraves

Integration, the fundamental principle of and the most distinctive

characteristic of Division III.

How would you define integration?

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 athletics activities are conducted as an integral part of the

student-athlete’s educational experience. They also seek to establish and maintain an environment that values cultural diversity and gender equity among their student-

athletes and athletics staff. (Revised: 1/10/95)

What do we want to accomplish in this

session?:• Begin thinking about integration• Conversations with colleagues• Ideas to take back to your campus – create conversations back home.

• What is your “elevator speech”?

INTRODUCTIONS

Sabbatical ProjectDebbie Lazorik

Director of Athletics, Physical Education and RecreationAssociate Professor

Marietta College

Integration – Education & Athletics, A Model for Success

June 2006 – January 2007

• Partnership with the NCAA – support to attend seminars, conferences, institutional visits

• Focused around what we mean by integration• Continuation of what was started at the 2006 convention on Best

Practices

OUTCOME:

Present a white paper at the 2007 Convention

Create a document: Division III Intercollegiate Athletics – A Practical Guide to Integration & Campus Culture. Used for educating trustees, CEO’s, senior administrators, faculty and coaches.

Scope of Project

1. Definition – Broader scope – a contemporary and comprehensive view of the role of intercollegiate athletics.

2. What does it look like?• Academic• Student Life• Co-Curricular• Organizational chart – reporting channel• Human Resources• Enrollment/Retention• Development• Physical Plant• Administration/Finance• Assessment• College Relations/Marketing

3. Strategies for achievement• Best Practices

Integration – Education & Athletics,

A Model for Success

Bob Malekoff

Integration-Is Southwestern University

Engaged?

The College Sports Project – Why Us?

Discovery

• CSP was not necessarily looking to change the way we functioned

• CSP was interested in the examination of how athletics interacted with all areas of the campus

Areas we were engaged

• Hiring of new coaches – involved members of the SU community such as FAR, faculty, Student Life staff and administration

• Our coaches teach class• Faculty status• University committees• AD spoke at University division meetings and

emphasized how our department could help & dispelled some of the myths surrounding athletes as far as missed class time, etc.

• FY Move-in

Where we weren’t Engaged

• There was no connection between the students as athletes and the faculty

• Our new staff was left on their own to engage with other faculty members

• We were really doing very little to market ourselves to our campus community

What we are doing since attending the CSP Integration Institute

DELIBERATELY-looking at ways to integrate

Athletics/Student-athletes

Faculty/Staff

Administration

CSP Integration - Continued

• SAAC Community Award – The SAAC nominates various student-athletes who they believe represent the whole campus with regards to:

• Academic Excellence• Community Service• Is a good University Citizen• Athletic Accomplishments• The entire campus is invited to vote on the finalist and a

plaque is awarded to the recipient.

Mentoring Program

• Our new department members are assigned to a veteran coach

• They are escorted to different University functions and introduced to different faculty and staff

• Accompany them to the dining hall during lunch for introductions in an informal setting

• Works with them in learning the SU “way”

Developed a Student Marketing Group

• These pre-game and half-time events are developed and run by our student marketing group. The aim is to entice not just students but faculty and staff as well as their families to our events.

• Activities include:- Give-a-ways- Punch Cards- Tailgating activities

Student Marketing Group

• Faculty Zone – a faculty member will be chosen one week prior to a game and they are encouraged to invite their class members and other students and faculty to join them at the game. They will be fed pizza and drinks while they enjoy the game.

Mousepad Give-A-Way

• We gave mousepads to all incoming First-year students and all of the faculty

Conclusion

• Integration must be deliberate

• Must include faculty/staff, administrators and student-athletes in the implementation

Athletics/Student-athletes

AdministrationFaculty/staff

Discussion Questions

• What is the benefit of a fully integrated athletics program?

• What are the challenges to achieving a fully integrated athletics program?

• How do we get the student-athlete perspective?