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We want to welcome you to
the website of the College Sport Research Institute (CSRI) at The
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a collaborative effort involving many committed
faculty from across the United States and around the world.
Intercollegiate athletics
occupies a significant place in the intricate cultural fabric of United
States higher education. To many, college sport is the symbolic 'tie that
binds' alumni to present students. On many college campuses, stadiums and
arenas consecrate the identity and remembrance of past athletic triumphs
in a unique way. Major college presidents, in the midst of their school's
trip to a prestigious bowl game or during the frenzied days of 'March
Madness,' cite the ability of college sport to attract people to the
institution in a way that few things can today.
While few still argue the
sole purpose of 'big-time' college sport is character development,
intercollegiate athletic department mission statements still contain
language explicitly ascribing character-enhancing, educational benefits to
college sport and expressing the preeminence of a concern for the
well-being of the 'student-athlete.
Within this setting, it is
vital that all those involved in college sport, including: NCAA and
university administrators, athletic department staff members, faculty,
media, and athletes have access to independent research focused on
college-sport issues.
With this in mind, the
College Sport Research Institute is committed to supporting independent
data collection and analysis related to college-sport issues. The need for
CSRI was best articulated on January 5, 2007, by NCAA President Myles
Brand, who noted:
"There is little that frustrates me more than critics of college sports
who get the facts wrong... I challenge the critics of college sports, in
the media and on campus, to get their facts right... Meeting the
challenges of intercollegiate athletics requires an informed, engaged
faculty."
(2007 NCAA Convention State of the Association)
If you are a faculty
researcher investigating college sport and the many issues that surround
this complex financial, cultural and political enterprise and you are not
already a
CSRI faculty affiliate, we look
forward to your future affiliation with the institute.
If you are a member of the
media, looking for experts to speak to a specific college-sport issue or
research results to provide context for a breaking news story, we hope
this site provides you with useful contacts and information.
If you are a member of the
general public interested in college sport, we hope the information on
this site and CSRI's ongoing research projects will allow you to increase
your knowledge and understanding of college sport.
If you are interested in
learning more about the College Sport Research Institute and how you can
support our ongoing research efforts, please contact a member of the CSRI
staff or executive board.
Sincerely,
Dr. Richard M. Southall
Director, College Sport Research Institute
Dr. Mark S. Nagel
Associate Director, College Sport Research Institute
Mr.
Peter H. Han Assistant Director, College Sport Research Institute
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