The Faculty Academic Oversight for Intercollegiate Athletics Committee is responsible for eligibility, compliance, and other issues relating to academic integrity of participants in athletics. The committee works closely with the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.

2023-24 Faculty Academic Oversight for Intercollegiate Athletics Committee Leadership

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Meeting Schedule

2023-24 Meeting Schedule

The Faculty Academic Oversight for Intercollegiate Athletics Committee meets Thursdays from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., unless otherwise noted. 

DATE TIME LOCATION
August 24, 2023 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Online Via Zoom
October 19, 2023 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Online Via Zoom
December 7, 2023 - Joint meeting with IAC 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Online Via Zoom
January 25, 2024 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Online Via Zoom
March 14, 2024 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Online Via Zoom
May 23, 2024 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Online Via Zoom
June 13, 2024 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Online Via Zoom

Committee members will be automatically added to a Google Calendar invite for these meetings at the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year. 

Committee Charge

Faculty Senate Bylaws, Article IV., Section 5

E. FACULTY ACADEMIC OVERSIGHT FOR INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS COMMITTEE

The Faculty Academic Oversight for Intercollegiate Athletics Committee has responsibility for eligibility, compliance, and other issues relating to academic integrity of participants in the programs. This committee will work closely with the Office of the Provost.

Membership

The Faculty Academic Oversight for Intercollegiate Athletics Committee shall be composed of: 

  • 8 tenured faculty members appointed to the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee,
  • 2 faculty athletics representatives to the NCAA, and
  • ex officio representation as specified by vote of the Twin Cities FAculty Delegation.

Since the purpose of this committee is to ensure that students who choose to participate in athletics have a full opportunity to pursue and complete their University studies, the primary qualification for appointment to this committee is a commitment to teaching students, rather than a special interest in athletics.

All members shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Committees.

The chair of the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee shall serve as the chair of the Faculty Academic Oversight for Intercollegiate Athletics Committee.

Duties and Responsibilities

a. To oversee certification of the eligibility of students who participate in varsity athletics programs, in cooperation with the Office of the Provost, in accordance with the standards of the NCAA and other external organizations.

b. To establish University academic standards for participation in varsity athletics, including minimum grade point average and progress toward degree. These standards must meet and may exceed the standards established by the NCAA and other external organizations and are in addition to the academic standards established by the college in which each student is enrolled. The committee will see that students are informed of these standards, are warned if they are not making reasonable progress, and are declared ineligible if they fail to meet them. 

c. To conduct regular reviews of the grade average and progress of each student, with the assistance of the Office of the Provost. It will also regularly evaluate the performance of each team in achieving the academic goals of student participants, and will advise the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics concerning the performance of coaches in support of these goals. It will also advise the senior administrator responsible for athletics, the Provost, the President, and the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee regarding the support for academic achievement shown by each of the teams and the department.

d. To establish scheduling standards limiting the days in any term that a student may be absent to participate in athletic events. It will review every schedule for conformity to these standards. In unusual cases, the committee may grant exceptions to that rule. 

e. To advise the Director of Academic Center for Student-Athletes regarding matters within the authority of that office.

f. To receive a report from the Director of Athletic Compliance at least once each semester regarding significant compliance concerns coming to the attention of that office. It will also refer any compliance matters that come to its attention to the Director of Compliance. It will report any concerns about compliance issues to the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, the senior administrator supervising compliance, the President, and the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee. It will advise the Director of Compliance regarding matters within the authority of that office.

g. To participate, either representative(s) or the full committee, in searches for the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, of Academic Center for Student-Athletes and of Athletic Compliance, and in searches for major coaching positions, and in any periodic comprehensive performance review of these positions, paying particular attention to the qualifications of candidates in the fields of academic performance and compliance. 

h. To advise and consult with the athletics department to ensure that those participating in or employed by the athletics programs observe required standards of compliance and academic integrity, and will make such reports and recommendations as may be necessary.

i. To advise the President and the faculty representatives regarding positions the University should take on proposed NCAA or other external rules relating to academic performance, eligibility, or compliance.

j. To consult regularly with the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and to meet at least once each semester to discuss programs and policies for ensuring academic performance and compliance with all standards. It will meet at least once each semester with the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics to review the academic performance of the teams, the support given to academic performance by the department, coaches and teams, and to make recommendations in this regard.

k. To meet regularly with the Provost or a representative of the Office of the Provost. 

l. To formulate policies governing Twin Cities intercollegiate athletics. All policies will be reported to the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee for action and to the Twin Cities Faculty Delegation for information after the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee have acted. The Twin Cities Faculty Delegation has the authority to reverse or modify a decision by the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee.

m. To recommend to the Twin Cities Faculty Delegation and the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee resolutions, actions or policies as it deems appropriate.

1. FACULTY ATHLETICS REPRESENTATIVES

The faculty athletics representatives will serve as the University's delegates to NCAA, Big 10, WCHA and other external organizations. The representatives also will perform certain functions prescribed in the rules of those organizations, in these by-laws, and as delegated by the President. The authority of the representatives does not displace any of the authority granted to the two committees above. The faculty athletics representatives are appointed by the President in consultation with the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee. Before making an appointment the President will give an opportunity for interested faculty members to apply. The President will also solicit nominations from the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee. 

A faculty athletics representative must be a member of the regular faculty who holds permanent tenure, and may not hold an administrative office higher than that of a department head or chair. The faculty athletics representatives will serve at the pleasure of the President for a three (3) year term. Normally, individuals will not serve more than six (6) consecutive years in this office, but the President may, with approval of the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee, reappoint an individual as faculty athletics representative for additional terms of up to three years. So long as the University has two faculty athletics representatives from the Twin Cities campus, every effort should be made to ensure that their terms are staggered.

The President, after receiving the recommendations of the Faculty Academic Oversight for Intercollegiate Athletics Committee and the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee, will determine the position the University will take regarding proposed changes in NCAA and other external rules. The faculty athletics representatives will faithfully represent this position.

The Faculty Academic Oversight for Intercollegiate Athletics Committee has primary responsibility for all eligibility and compliance issues. If the rules of any external organization require a faculty representative to make a decision or recommendation on any matter relating to eligibility or compliance, the representative will first refer the matter to the Faculty Academic Oversight for Intercollegiate Athletics Committee and will faithfully carry out its recommendation.

(updated: 7/19/16)