WSU Athletics receives certified status from NCAA committee

PULLMAN, Wash. – The NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification announced today that it has determined Washington State University’s status is “certified,” which means it operates its athletic program in compliance with the operating principles adopted by Division 1 members. NCAA announced the certification results of 27 other member institutions in the division’s athletics certification process as well.
 
The decision culminates a year-long self-study process, which encompassed a detailed review of three primary areas: governance and commitment to rules compliance; academic integrity; and gender/diversity issues and student-athlete wellbeing.
 
Dan Bernardo, dean of the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences, led WSU’s self-study process. Other members of the WSU committee were:
 
  • WSU President Elson S. Floyd
  • Bill Moos, athletic director
  • Ken Casavant, faculty athletic representative and professor of economic sciences
  • Anne McCoy, senior associate director of athletics and senior women’s administrator
  • Jane C. Sherman, vice provost for academic policy and evaluation
  • Erich Lear, professor of music
  • Nick Lovrich, director of WSU’s Division of Governmental Studies and Services, and Regents professor of political science
  • James Roche, associate vice president of enrollment management
  • Jason McConnell, Graduate and Professional Student Association president
  • Jake Bredstrand, ASWSU president
  • John Fraire, vice president of enrollment management
  • Max Kirk, chair of the WSU Faculty Senate and associate professor of construction management
  • Chima Nwachukwu, Student Athlete Advisory Committee president
  • Constance Niva, WSU regent
  • Duane Brelsford, WSU alumnus
  • June Daugherty, head coach of women’s basketball
  • Jim King, WSU alumnus
  • Tim Pavish, executive director of Alumni Relations
The Division I Committee on Athletics Certification preliminarily reviews an institution’s certification materials and provides a list of issues identified during the evaluation. Then, the university hosts a visit by peer reviewers who file a report regarding the institution’s resolution of those issues before a final certification decision is rendered. An institution’s failure to satisfactorily respond to the committee may negatively impact certification status.
 
Legislation mandating certification was adopted for all active Division I schools in 1993 to ensure the integrity of each member institution’s athletics program, while assisting institutions with improvements when necessary. Each member institution is to complete a self-study at least once every 10 years.
 
This cycle represents the last certifications before a moratorium placed on the program in April 2011 by the Division I Board of Directors. In Jan. 2011, NCAA President Mark Emmert asked staff to evaluate the program to reduce the burden on institutions, increase cost effectiveness and improve the overall value.
 
The certification process is separate from the NCAA’s enforcement program, which investigates allegations of rules violations by NCAA member institutions.  A decision of certified does not exempt an institution from concurrent or subsequent enforcement proceedings.
 
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Source:
Dan Bernardo, WSU College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences, 509-335-4561, bernardo@wsu.edu
 
Media contact:
Kathy Barnard, WSU College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences, 509-335-2806, kbarnard@wsu.edu