REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
University of Louisville Athletic Association Board of Directors
8 June 2015
CAP Activities for 2014-2015
The Committee on Academic Performance, made up of the faculty members of the ULAA Board and chaired by the Faculty Athletics Representative, is charged with oversight of the eligibility and academic performance of our student-athletes. It serves as the faculty oversight committee for athletics at U of L. The Committee meets on the second or third Tuesday of the month at noon in the Bingham Humanities Building, Room 300, throughout the academic year.
Among its regular duties, the Committee received reports about and/or acted upon the following matters:
Review of UofL cohort reports for summer, fall, and spring terms, tracing student-athlete grade point averages and graduation rates for the last five years.
Review of NCAA Academic Performance Rate (APR) and Graduation Rate Reports, as they apply to student-athletes and head coaches.
Annual Review of Compliance Operations
Annual Review of Athletic Academic Advising Services and of Student-Athlete Exit
Interviews--concerning academic issues and student-athlete welfare.
Annual Review of Provost Admits: Student-Athletes admitted under special conditions.
Review of data from End-of -Year Student-Athlete Questionnaires
Review and updating of guidelines that pertain to Waivers of the U of L 2.0 Rule and to
Contacts for Student-Athlete Academic Issues
In addition, the Committee participated in planning for the annual Red and Black Reception for Scholar Athletes and their Faculty Mentors, which was held on 8 February 2015 at the Yum! Center. The Athletics Department sponsored the reception and luncheon, at which time the first annual award for the Outstanding Faculty Mentor was given to Dr. Mary Ashlock, Department of Communication. Over 275 student-athletes (and another 131 members of spirit groups, managers, and trainers) earned an invitation with over 80 faculty members invited to join them as their faculty mentors. Faculty mentors and scholar athletes were also invited to attend the women’s basketball game with the University of Pittsburgh; during half-time, Prof. Elaine Wise, FAR, was honored with the U of L National Girls and Women in Sports Award.
Our End-of-Year Questionnaire for Student-Athletes gathers pertinent and timely information related to missed class time and academic satisfaction of student-athletes. This fifth annual questionnaire was completed by over 450 student-athletes from all teams. Based on data received, the committee continues to monitor student-athlete choice of major, the factors which limit student-athletes from choosing some majors, and the student-athlete experience. The data also enables the committee to assess the effectiveness of the University Excused Absence Policy in its application to student-athletes.
Acting for the Committee, the Faculty Athletics Representative reviewed and monitored the missed class time policy and schedule of competitions in order to conduct a more effective review of the academic impact of missed class time in Men’s Basketball and other high profile sports. Having updated its guidelines for effective communication channels for student-athlete academic issues, the Committee continued to serve as a willing “proctor pool” during the final examination period, should a student-athlete need to take a make-up exam when the instructor is not available on campus to administer it.
Members of the SAAC Sub-Committee met with the Student Athlete Advisory Committee twice to discuss student concerns. The ULAA Election Sub-Committee reviewed the election process with the Executive Secretary of the Board and suggested changes to the process that were put into place for the current election of faculty members to serve on the Board. Other sub-committees for 2014-2015 included: Red and Black Event, Chi Alpha Sigma, End-of-Year Questionnaire, NCAA/ACC Workshops, and Health and Wellness Issues. The committee invited the Olga Peers Academic Center staff to a meeting in order to share ideas on student-athlete academic concerns.
Additional FAR Activities for 2014-2015:
In addition to my role as FAR, chair of CAP, and a member of all ULAA committees, I served the Provost as her Liaison to Athletics. In that capacity, I scheduled monthly meetings with the Provost to review every team’s performance for spring, summer, and fall semesters and to confer on matters pertinent to student-athlete performance and well-being, including but not limited to issues that arose in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill investigation.
As Faculty Athletics Representative, during AY 2014-15, I administered the NCAA Coaches Certification Exam to all coaches, including assistant coaches, and discussed with them U of L academic procedures and policies in order to promote their inclusion in the academic mission of the University; met with every athletic team at its first compliance meeting to discuss the role of the FAR and strategies for achieving academic excellence; reviewed and signed off on eligibility reports for each student-athlete, on waiver appeals, and on formal reports to the NCAA; reviewed secondary violation reports; attended at least one competition in every sport at U of L; wrote nominations for student-athlete for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships and submitted our four U of L nominations for ACC Postgraduate Scholarships; met with many seniors to discuss graduate and professional school opportunities; served on the Financial Aid Review Committee; advised the President about proposed Autonomy and NCAA legislation and other matters of concern in college athletics; advised the AD on issues related to student athlete welfare and academic integrity; reported monthly to the Faculty Senate; reviewed proposed NCAA legislation with Compliance staff and met with the Senior Associate AD for Academic Services to monitor various academic and compliance matters; mediated faculty/student-athlete concerns in relation to the Excused Absence Policy for University Sanctioned Functions; coordinated the activities of the FAR and CAP with the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and other university administrators; and reported to the ULAA Board on behalf of the Committee on Academic Performance.
This first year as full members of the ACC has been especially gratifying, as I have represented U of L in all pertinent legislative and governance meetings of the Atlantic Coast Conference, attending six meetings of the ACC FAR Council and participating in numerous conference calls. In the ACC, Faculty Athletics Representatives cast the vote for their institutions and serve on all major committees. I served on the ACC Infractions Review Committee which is enlarging its scope to include issues of Sportsmanship. In addition, I am a member of the Division 1A FAR Council that meets each September in Dallas and reviews pertinent issues throughout the year.
In conclusion, I would like to thank the members of CAP for their dedication and hard work on behalf of our student-athletes: Professors Eric Berson, Speed Engineering; Carmine Esposito, Dentistry; Mary Hums, Education; Bruce Kemelgor, Business; Jessica Stumbo, Medicine; Robert Staat, Dentistry, and Karen Turner, Nursing, as well as Enid Trucios-Haynes, Law and Vice Chair of the Faculty Senate. Their work on behalf of the University of Louisville’s student-athletes has been diligent and exemplary. Professors Esposito and Turner have completed their terms and have earned our special thanks for their service. They will be given a Certificate of Appreciation from the Committee at our July meeting of CAP. We will be welcoming Prof. Dawn Heinekin, A&S, and Prof. Jerry Tolson, School of Music, in August.
Prof. Elaine O. Wise,
Faculty Athletics Representative
Chair of the Committee on Academic Performance
Provost’s Liaison for Athletics
Chair of the Division of Humanities, Arts and Sciences
8 June 2015