AROUND THE QUADS
Columbia Undertakes NCAA Certification
By Timothy P. Cross

Around the Quads

• Klein, McDavid, Lung, Johnson to Receive John Jay Awards • September 11 Recovery Efforts Continue • Columbia Expands Online Offerings • Jester Holds Court Again • Columbia Undertakes NCAA Certification • Celebrating WKCR's 60th Anniversary • To Pay Off Her Student Loans, Dunphy Tries for Miss America • Campus Bulletins • Roar, Lion, Roar • Alumni Bulletins • Transitions • In Memoriam

Columbia is participating in a process to certify that the University's intercollegiate athletics program conforms to National Collegiate Athletic Association regulations and guidelines. The lengthy process, which began in the spring of 2001, examines the athletics program's fiscal and academic integrity; commitment to equity, student welfare and sportsmanship; and governance and compliance with NCAA rules. The University is preparing a self-study report in anticipation of a visit by an NCAA-appointed peer review team of administrators and faculty members from other institutions, which is scheduled for June 2002.

Chris Colombo, dean of student affairs for the College and SEAS, chairs the University steering committee — which is composed of administrators, faculty, alumni and current students — that is coordinating the certification process. Four subcommittees — academic integrity, chaired by Sandra Johnson, associate dean of residence life and advising programs; fiscal integrity, chaired by Susan Mescher, associate dean for administration; equity, welfare and sportsmanship, chaired by David Charlow '85, director of undergraduate financial aid; and governance and rules compliance, chaired by Colombo — are working with the steering committee on the self-study report, which will be mailed to the NCAA in April.

The University's athletics program is unique within the Ivy League because student-athletes from four schools — the College, SEAS, Barnard and General Studies — can play on Columbia's intercollegiate sports teams. This is the second time that the University has undertaken NCAA certification. In 1996, Columbia became the first Ivy school to complete the process, which was instituted by the NCAA in the mid-1990s for all member colleges and universities.

The steering committee plans to hold a public forum on campus early in the spring semester to ensure that all members of the University community can have input into the process. Students and alumni interested in learning more should visit Columbia's NCAA certification Web site (www.college.columbia.edu/ncaa) or send an e-mail to ncaacertification@columbia.edu.