Faculty Committee on Athletics (Elected Committee)
Annual Report

October 28, 1998

Members—Terms ending in:

1998: Audreye E. Johnson (chair 1997-98), Edward J. Ludwig
1999: William Smith, Frank Stritter (retired in 1998)
2000: Anne H. Fishel (chair 1998-99); Henry Lesesne (retired in 1998)
2001: Karla A. Henderson, Richard A. Rosen;
2002: Trudier Harris, Stanley Mandel;
ACC/NCAA Representation: John P. (Jack) Evans

Meetings: Fall 1997 -- Spring 1998. The Committee held monthly meetings during the 1997-98 academic year. There were four meetings a semester for a total of eight meetings.

Report Prepared by: Anne H. Fishel (Chair, 1998-99) based upon attendance at committee meetings, review of the minutes, and consultation with the Committee.

Committee Charge: "The Faculty Athletic Committee is concerned with informing the faculty and advising the Chancellor on any aspect of athletics, including but not limited to, the academic experience of varsity athletes, athletic opportunities for members of the University community, and the general conduct and operation of the University’s athletic program" (Faculty Code).

Committee Functions: Subcommittees are established to take primary responsibility for issues as decided in the first meeting of the year. Committee members provided advice that was sought and used by the Chancellor and the Athletic Department. The Chancellor attended meetings as his schedule permitted. Athletic Director Baddour and/or other members of the Athletic Department were also in attendance.

The active involvement of Committee members on various Athletic Department Committees, especially the several units run by the Athletic Department’s Academic Support Center, provides substantive support to the Athletic Department in maintaining state and national compliance. Committee members participate in a variety of Athletic Committee activities related to the educational and physical well being of the student athlete. Committee members may also be used in the recruitment of program staff, such as the recent search committee for the women’s tennis coach. The faculty guest coach program has provided students with the opportunity to get to know faculty, and can be used as a mentoring opportunity.

Report of Discussions:

1.     Appointment of new head coaches. Athletic Director Baddour summarized the process for appointment of five new head coaches. As has been the case in past coaching appointments, commitment to student academic success and appropriate student behavior, during and outside of competitions, were primary considerations in setting expectations for these new appointments.
2.     Construction. Work continued on the Kenan Stadium. Negotiations regarding an architect for Finley Golf Course were completed and work began in summer of 1998. Reports were also given on the women’s lacrosse and field hockey project, the soccer facility, the softball facility and a proposed new indoor track and football training facility.
3.     Consideration of Equestrian as an intercollegiate sport. Information was shared about the number of schools having an NCAA Intercollegiate Equestrian Program, the costs, and the number of students projected as interested in participating if a program were started here at UNC-CH. Discussion centered around which ACC schools have equestrian sport (none) and does the NCAA have a championship in this sport (no). Issues include housing of horses, vet care, no competition in ACC, and fiscal soundness. UNC offers all women’s sports that have a NCAA championship. Title IX implications of choosing not to establish such a problem were discussed also.
4.     Title IX. Several members of the Title IX Committee presented information from the report (1993-94) and subsequent activity on Title IX issues. Five areas were identified for improvement in the report: compliance, scholarship, effective accountability, equivalent benefits and opportunities. Currently, UNC-CH has 15 women’s sports—all that have been recognized by NCAA. Discussion noted that complete compliance with equity could not be done without the elimination of a men’s sport, due to limited resources. Women’s sports have been added. Locker room facilities for women are being improved. Renovations will enhance the facilities for several women’s sports.
5.     Support Center. Mr. Baddour provided background information that the Hiskey Report led to the establishment of the Academic Support Center. The Academic Support Center is paid for by the Athletic Academic Department. Such things as computers, tutors, and accessible study space are provided at night for students. Study hall concerns and library time were discussed.
6.     Distribution of Basketball tickets to students. The process for distributing tickets is decided by students. The faculty are concerned about students missing class and camping out to be in line for tickets. Athletic Director Baddour proposed a Ticket Distribution Authority mechanism that would eliminate the lines. Student Body Reps liked the idea. (Current implementation seems to be going well).
7.     Nike Contract. Professor Andrews initiated discussion about the Nike Contract and commercialization in general. Mr. Baddour informed the Committee that the Nike Contract was overseen by legal counsel and UNC’s name has been safely guarded (no signage in Kenan Stadium or Smith Center). The Committee was not involved in the negotiations of the contract. The coaches’ contracts with Nike are administered in accordance with institutional policy on external activities and conflict of interest. The Committee recognized that the controversy about the Nike Contract will be ongoing. Mr. Baddour reported that he and Dean Smith met with students regarding their concerns about the Nike Contract.
8.     Thursday night football game. This is a contractual event in which all the ACC schools are required to host a game once in every five years. Concern was expressed about students missing class time. Discussion centered around whether to take the game to Charlotte, and getting NCSU to do the same, or to keep it in Chapel Hill. A night game was viewed as a problem for parking (for both faculty, students, and persons coming to the game). A Thursday night game on campus might also be disruptive of classes normally held in late evening. The suggestion was made to try future scheduling of the Thursday night game during fall break. The academic view was to keep the game on campus if possible because our students would have to travel and miss class time if it were moved to Charlotte. This solution was not practical because of the parking problems.
9.     Graduation rates for athletes. Professor Evans noted that the more recent cohorts have a better record; looking at six rather than five years. There was an improvement in the rate for men (see attached report). NCAA does not allow reports on students who transfer. It was suggested that we need to track students who withdraw for whatever reason, and whether they complete their education at another institution. The Committee continued to examine variables that might help to explain graduation rates.
10.     Freshmen Eligibility. This is a complex issue and divides NCAA schools. The NCAA has not brought this matter to the floor in four years. There is no national evidence that not playing improves academic performance.
11.     Policy Statement on Arrest for Conviction of a Felony/Misdemeanor. Related to the incident involving football players in the Spring Semester of 1998, the Committee had a broad discussion of the conditions under which it would be appropriate to suspend a player who has been accused of some misbehavior. The Committee expressed support for the actions taken by the Athletic Department, i.e. to do a thorough investigation and then to suspend players who were found to have behaved inappropriately. When an investigation yielded insufficient evidence for misconduct, then student suspension prior to a court hearing would be unfair to the student.
12.     Sportsmanship. This topic was discussed in almost every meeting. The Chancellor noted that there has been a general decline in civility in our society that has been expressed in athletics and elsewhere. This decline has been incremental, not abrupt, but insidious. The committee views the issue as having multiple constituencies (or contributors): players, coaches officials, fans, and members of the media. Two themes were evident in the discussion: Teaching sportsmanship is part of coaching, and fan behavior is an important part of the issue. Changing fan behavior will require an initiative to communicate and persuade.
13.     Exit interviews with graduating senior student-athletes. Several themes of concern continue to occur. Balancing academic work and athletic training- competition is difficult. Training has become a year round activity and many student-athletes note "compulsory voluntary practices" during off-season time. Students indicated some dissatisfaction with the campus advising system. Student-athletes experience difficulty with registration and getting courses that are needed for graduation that also fit with their training schedules. Access to parking is limited in afternoons during training times. Positive comments were noted for the Academic Support Center, overall student-athlete experience, the benefits of learning time discipline, and race relations among student-athletes.

Topics for 1998-99:

In conclusion: