University of Portland conducts 2005-06 NCAA Division I certification self-study

2005-06 NCAA Division I Certification Self-Study (PDF)

The University of Portland has completed a year-long, campus-wide effort to study its athletics program as part of the NCAA Division I athletics certification standards and the report has been made publicly available.

Sr. Maria Ciriello, O.P. chairs the committee in charge of the study and is the contact for any feedback or questions relating to the report. She can be reached at (503) 943-7135 or ciriello@up.edu.

The study covers academic integrity, governance and commitment to rules compliance, as well as a commitment to equity and student-athlete welfare.

While academic accreditation is common in colleges and universities, this program focuses solely on certification of athletics programs. The University of Portland completed its first certification cycle in 1996 and earned the designation “certified.”

The certification program's purpose is to help ensure integrity in the institution's athletics operations. The University of Portland currently has 16 NCAA Division I men’s and women’s sports.

“The self-study offers a unique opportunity to educate individuals across campus about the athletics program’s goals and purposes, the many challenges facing athletics and the ways in which athletics support the institution’s overall mission,” said Sr. Maria Ciriello, O.P., dean of the School of Education and chair of the study committee.

The self-study committee includes University President Rev. E. William Beauchamp, various members of the university faculty and staff, and athletics department personnel.

An external team of reviewers will next be scheduled to conduct a two-day visit on campus. Those reviewers will be peers from other colleges, universities or conference offices. That team will report to the NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification, another independent group. The committee will then determine the institution's certification status and announce the decision publicly. For institutions that fail to conduct a comprehensive self-study or to correct problems, tough sanctions can be imposed.

The NCAA is a membership organization of colleges and universities that participate in intercollegiate athletics. The primary purpose of the Association is to maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body. Activities of the NCAA membership include formulating rules of play for NCAA sports, conducting national championships, adopting and enforcing standards of eligibility, and studying all phases of intercollegiate athletics.