NCAA Certifies Baylor Athletics Program

WACO, Texas - The NCAA Committee on Athletics Certification has certified the Baylor University athletics program, the NCAA announced today. Certification means the committee found the Baylor athletics program to be operating successfully according to principles adopted by Division I membership.
The Baylor certification process has taken almost one year and was coordinated by Dr. Donald Edwards, professor and chair of management.
"This rigorous certification process shows that our athletics program is in good standing with the NCAA and that we fully comply with all of its procedures," Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. said.
"This has been a long and very detailed review of our athletics program and I want to thank all of the many people at Baylor who contributed to this certification procedure. We will continue to work hard to have an athletics program that our fans and supporters can take pride in and one that we believe is among the best in the United States."
Dr. Stan Madden, vice president for university marketing, added "The certification process is new and it afforded us an opportunity to do some critical planning as we steadied our system. The affirmation of that process by the NCAA is of great encouragement to our athletics program."
Other schools receiving certification Thursday included Butler University; Columbia University-Barnard College; Kansas State University; McNeese State University; Northwestern State University; Oregon State University; University of South Carolina, Columbia; Southwest Missouri State University; and the University of Virginia.
Three schools were certified with conditions and two schools were reclassified as certified. No school received a designation of not certified.
According to the NCAA, certification examines the athletics department's academic and financial integrity, governance and commitment to rules compliance, and commitment to equity. An NCAA peer review team visited the Baylor campus within the past year.

The NCAA can issue one of three certification designations:
* A designation of certified means than an institution has shown itself to be operating its athletics program in substantial conformity with operating principles adopted by Division I membership.
* A designation of certified with conditions means that an institution generally operates in conformity with Division I principles but problems were identified that were serious enough for full certification to be withheld until the institution can show those problems have been resolved.
* A designation of not certified means that the institution was found not to be operating in substantial conformity with Division I principles and that the problems identified were considered serious or pervasive. The institution must take corrective action before it can be conditionally certified and it would not be eligible to participate in NCAA championships.
The certification process is separate from the enforcement program of the NCAA. Rules compliance is still subject to NCAA investigation, and the NCAA Committee on Infractions may request the certification committee to review an institution's status if infractions occur.
Baylor is a member of the Big 12 Conference and currently fields 17 sports. In the past year, women's soccer and softball have been added to the school's athletics program.