Second open forum on SU athletic certification process scheduled for April 3 in Watson Theater

Second open forum on SU athletic certification process scheduled for April 3 in Watson TheaterMarch 21, 2006Kevin Morrowkdmorrow@syr.edu

An open forum on Syracuse University’s NCAA athletics certification process will take place Monday, April 3, from 3-5 p.m. at Watson Theater in the Robert B. Menschel Media Center, 316 Waverly Ave.

This is the second of two scheduled open forums–the first was March 2–on SU’s yearlong, campus-wide effort to study its athletic program as part of the NCAA Division I athletics certification program. Faculty, staff, students, alumni and all interested individuals from the Syracuse community are encouraged to attend.

Information–including reports from the self-study’s three subcommittees (Academic Integrity; Governance and Commitment to Rules Compliance; and Equity and Student-Athlete Welfare)–is availableat http://www.suathletics.com/.

An updated self-study report and plans for improvement will be posted on SUAthletics.com on March 30. The University will submit a report to the NCAA by May 15. Subsequent to this submission, an external team of reviewers will conduct an evaluation visit to campus Sept. 18-20. The reviewers will be peers from other colleges, universities or conference offices. The review team will report to the NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification. The committee will then determine SU’s certification status and announce the decision publicly.

The three options of certification status are certified, certified with conditions and not certified. According to the NCAA, colleges and universities are given an opportunity to correct deficient areas, but those that do not take corrective actions may be ruled ineligible for NCAA championships.

SU successfully completed the process in its last review, in 1998.