Virginia Tech will begin a year-long, comprehensive self study as part of the NCAA Division I Athletics Certification program which is required of all NCAA member schools to ensure integrity in the operation of athletics programs at the university.

Virginia Tech currently maintains a fully-certified Division I status. The university last completed the certification process in 1997-98.

“This self study, which will be a thorough and comprehensive review of our athletics programs, affords us the opportunity to acknowledge the strengths of our program, as well as identify opportunities to make our program better,” said Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger.

The self study will focus on three areas: governance and commitment to rules compliance, academic integrity, and equity and student-athlete well-being. NCAA standards (called “Operating Principles”) for each area allow universities to measure themselves compared to these standards.

The Virginia Tech certification team includes President Steger, Athletic Director Jim Weaver, and other Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff. The steering committee will be chaired by Minnis Ridenour, senior fellow for resource development.

The certification team will include three subcommittees. The subcommittee on governance and commitment to rules compliance will be chaired by Joe Tront, professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering; the subcommittee on academic integrity will be chaired by David Ford, vice provost for academic affairs; and the subcommittee on equity and student-athlete well-being will be chaired by Zenobia Hikes, vice president of student affairs.

Each subcommittee will issue a report and submit it to the steering committee for review and comment. The steering committee will issue a summary draft report in the spring of 2007 and will have a public review and input process. The final report will be submitted to the NCAA in May 2007.

Once the final report has been submitted, an external team of reviewers will conduct an evaluation visit to the university next fall. The review team will submit a report to the NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification who will then make the final determination of certification status.

Find more information on the NCAA Division I Athletics Certification process.

Share this story