May 22, 2003
Chicago, Ill. - The University of Illinois at Chicago Athletic Department learned on Thursday that it had been certified by the NCAA Division I Committee of Athletics Certification.
UIC was one of six active Division I members to receive certification on Thursday, joining Iona, Iowa State, Monmouth, Santa Clara and Washington State.
The certification process involves an internal study of a school's athletic department, focusing on governance and commitment to rules compliance, academic integrity, fiscal integrity, equity, welfare and sportsmanship.
UIC's certification means the athletic department is being run in substantial conformity with the operating principles adopted by Division I members.
The purpose of this certification is to ensure integrity in each school's athletic program while assisting institutions in improving their departments. All 325 Division I members participate in this process on a 10-year cycle.
The Division I Committee on Athletics Certification preliminarily reviews an institution's certification materials, and then provides a list of issues identified during the evaluation. The university then has a period of approximately one year to respond in writing to the issues before a final certification decision is rendered.
An institution's failure to satisfactorily respond to the committee may negatively impact certification status.
The members of the Committee on Athletics Certification are: Tom Davis, Sam Houston State University; John Hardt, Bucknell University; Susan Hofacre, Robert Morris University; Pat Howey, University of North Carolina, Wilmington; Jerry Kingston, Arizona State University; Colleen Lim, Yale University; Jamie McCloskey, University of Florida; Fred Mims, University of Iowa; Rance Pugmire, Utah State University; Paul Risser (chair), Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education; Dawn Rogers, Xavier University; Greg Sankey, Southeastern Conference; Irene Shea, California State University, Sacramento; Richard L. Wallace, University of Missouri, Columbia; and Brenda Weare, Conference USA.
