Texas Tech Receives NCAA Certification

Written by Cory Chandler

Texas Tech University received certification from the NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification April 16.

A designation of certified means that an institution operates its athletics program in substantial conformity with operating principles adopted by the Division I membership.

“The self-study opened the athletic department up to review by the rest of the campus community,” said President Guy Bailey. “Our athletic department runs very well, and this certification demonstrates our commitment to the principles of integrity, equity and academic excellence espoused by the NCAA.”

The results follow a year-long, campus-wide study of Texas Tech athletics programs initiated in February 2008 as part of the NCAA Division I athletics certification program. It included a review of these primary components: governance and commitment to rules compliance; academic integrity; equity; and student-athlete well-being.

“We appreciate the Campus Certification Committee led by Provost Bill Marcy for its hard work and effort during this process,” Texas Tech Director of Athletics Gerald Myers said. “The NCAA Peer Review Committee evaluated all areas of the athletic department. We are pleased that Texas Tech was certified in all areas without conditions.”

Athletics certification exists to ensure integrity in the institution’s athletics program and to assist institutions in improving their athletics departments. NCAA legislation mandating athletics certification was adopted in 1993.

Texas Tech completed its first certification self-study in 1999 and was unconditionally certified by the NCAA.

The NCAA announced Texas Tech’s status among 35 Division I member institutions that have undergone the association’s second cycle of athletics certification.

The following 35 institutions were certified:

In addition, two Division I institutions have been certified with conditions: Grambling State University and Howard University.

This classification means the institution is considered to be operating its athletics program in substantial conformity with operating principles adopted by the NCAA's Division I membership. However, problems identified during the course of the institution's self-study and the peer-review team's evaluation were considered serious enough by the Committee on Athletics Certification to cause it to withhold full certification until those problems have been corrected.

The NCAA does not divulge specific information related to an institution’s self-study or peer-review visit or specific information concerning the conditions set forth for certification. The second round of athletics certifications is being completed on a 10-year cycle rather than the five-year cycle used during the initial certification process.

All 326 active Division I members participate in the certification process. The Division I Committee on Athletics Certification preliminarily reviews an institution’s certification materials and provides a list of issues identified during the evaluation. The university then 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.

The members of the Committee on Athletics Certification are: