Introduction to NCAA Certification Suzanne Fox, Assistant University Registrar, Texas State University T4| Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Introduction Suzanne Fox Worked in the Office of University Registrar since April 2013 Previously was a College Women’s Basketball Head Coach for 20 years Worked in Athletics Compliance Office for 2 years Texas State University NCAA Division I affiliation – Sun Belt Conference 38,666 enrollment in 2017-18 Each of the eight colleges certify graduation Banner is our SIS system Certification Office has two employees Personal Philosophies K.I.S.S. PRINCIPLE – Keep it short and simple Create processes that are transparent, participative and easy to maintain & follow (if you got run over by a pie wagon, could someone step in and follow the written procedures to do your job)

Topics to Cover Importance of Policies & Procedures Basic Eligibility Requirements for Competition Transfer Eligibility Common Areas of Risk in Certification Lessons Learned - Best Practices Questions

IMPORTANCE OF POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Policies & Procedures When you participate in any type of NCAA audit the first items they request are copies of your: Undergraduate Catalog Departmental Policies and Procedures Certification Policies and Procedures Create a manual that clearly identifies who does what, when and how. Document, document, document.

Policies & Procedures Does your policy clearly identify…. How your institution define “good academic standing” for extra curricular participation? When and how often are student’s allowed to change their major designation? How is this documented? Who articulates transfer credits at your institution? Who determines if a course can be accepted as a substitution in a major? general education core? Who monitors FT enrollment?

THREE BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY (NCAA DIVISION I)

GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING MAINTAIN PROGRESS TOWARD DEGREE 3 Basic Requirements of Academic Eligibility to Participate in Competition ENROLLED FULL-TIME GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING MAINTAIN PROGRESS TOWARD DEGREE

Full Time Enrollment Student-athletes (SAs) must be enrolled full-time to represent your institution in competition. [FTE = Full Time Enrollment] What constitutes FTE at your institution? As an undergraduate? As a graduate student? As a post bach student? Who monitors FTE at your institution? How is it monitored? Exceptions: Final Semester/Quarter and Final Term before Experimental Learning (NCAA Bylaws 14.2.2.1.3 & 14.2.2.1.4)

Good Academic Standing Determined by the institution for all students – NCAA Bylaws 14.01.1 and 14.01.2.1: “…good academic standing shall be a standard at least as demanding as the minimum standard applied to all students in order to participate in extracurricular activities at that institution.” Be aware of and know your institution's policy for good academic standing. Each institution may have a different policy.

Progress Toward Degree Requirements (NCAA Division I) CREDIT-HOUR REQUIREMENTS PERCENTAGE OF DEGREE REQUIREMENTS GRADE-POINT AVERAGE REQUIREMENTS 6-hour requirement each term 18/27-hour requirement each academic year First year only: 24/36-hour requirement 40% entering third year of collegiate enrollment 60% entering fourth year 80% entering fifth year 90% entering second year of collegiate enrollment 95% entering third year 100% entering fourth year and later PTD = Progress Toward Degree

Texas State Certification Process Athletics Certification is comparable to a three-legged stool CERTIFICATION OFFICE ACADEMICS SERVICES COMPLIANCE OFFICE

Eligibility Certification SAs are certified on a term-by-term basis Certification Office keeps an electronic and hard file for each SA Term-by Term certification includes: Creating an Individual Eligibility packet for each SA comprised of: Copy of Individual Eligibility worksheet Copy of Transcript Copy of Degree Audit (if SA is in their third year of enrollment or later) Creating a Team Eligibility Worksheet SA = Student-Athletes

Summary Sheet for Term-by-Term Eligibility Attachments include: Copy of individual eligibility worksheet Copy of transcript Copy of degree audit

INDIVIDUAL ELIGIBILITY WORKSHEET Degree Breakdown (Core, Major, Minor, Support, Electives) Term-By-Term Applicability of Hours Total Degree Applicable hours

TEAM ELIGIBILITY WORKSHEET

Eligibility Certification Certification Office and Academic Services review and compare eligibility numbers to ensure accuracy. Once confirmed, information is entered in JumpForward to produce the General Eligibility Checklist and Squad list. Compliance Office reviews information then forwards to Head Coaches and Athletics Director (or designee) to sign eligibility forms Each term Academic Progress Forms are sent to each College Advising center to confirm eligibility numbers These forms are scanned to each SAs electronic file and shared with Academic Services and the Compliance Office.

ACADEMIC PROGRESS FORMS Sent to each College Advising Supervisor on a Term-by-Term basis Forms Confirm: If course is degree applicable If there is a specific grade requirement for a course (i.e. C or higher) Hours required for SA to complete degree program Number of degree hours completed

TRANSFER ELIGIBILITY

Transfer Eligibility Set requirements for timing of review (pre-evaluations) and documentation needed for reviews Define process for course articulations including roles and timing Document procedure to check for declaration of degree and applicability of transfer coursework

Texas State Transfer Evaluation Process Coach submits unofficial transcripts to IOC IOC sends unofficial transcripts to Admissions Office for evaluation Admissions Office articulates courses and calculates transfer GPA Certification Office evaluates PSA’s coursework to create Pre-Evaluation Packet* Certification Office sends completed pre-evaluation to IOC IOC reviews five-year clock, transfer & PTD projections then sends to coaching staff IOC = Internal Operations & Compliance Coordinator PSA = Prospective Student-Athlete

Transfer Pre-Evaluation Packets TRANSFER PACKET INCLUDES: Transfer Summary Sheet (2-4, 4-4, 4-2-4, NQ, Q) Transfer Worksheet Transfer NCAA GPA Calculation Progress Toward Degree Worksheet NCAA Details Report OTHER ITEMS IN SAVED ELECTRONIC FILE: General Education Core Curriculum Approvals Degree Specific Coursework Substitution Approvals Preliminary Admission Review of Coursework

2-4 NON- QUALIFIER SUMMARY FORM

2-4 QUALIFIER SUMMARY FORM

Declaration of Degree & Changes in Degree Program

Declaration of Degree & Changes in Degree Program Must designate a program of studies leading toward a specific baccalaureate degree prior to third year (5th semester or 7th quarter) May change degree within a term (if institution permits) and utilized hours toward previously sought or toward new declared degree plan for PTD eligibility [NCAA bylaw 14.4.3.1.7 (d)] Degree applicability not retro-active to a previous terms or terms

Documentation of Degree Changes TXST has NO policy to limit curriculum changes – all students may change their major declaration at anytime. We created Banner workflow emails to notify Academics, Certification and Compliance offices anytime a SA makes a change in curriculum. Once a curriculum change notification is received, this prompts the creation or update of SA’s eligibility worksheet

Curriculum Change Packet Certification Office creates an electronic packet when a SA makes any type of curriculum change Packet includes: New/Updated eligibility worksheet Copy of email curriculum notification Copy of updated degree audit Certification office sends curriculum change packet to Academics for review. Curriculum change packet is filed in SA’s electronic file

Common Areas of Risk Lack of Written Certification Policies & Procedures Transfers Declaration of Degree & Changes In Degree Program Others common risk areas not covered in this presentation Repeated Courses I Grades Non-traditional Courses Midyear Enrollees-18 hour rule Remedial Courses AP, Credit by Exam

WRAP UP

Lessons Learned - Best Practices Checks and Balances – Check, Check and Re-Check Create Written Policies and Procedures – Review and update annually Clearly identify roles and responsibilities between Compliance, Certification and Academics Be Proactive in evaluating Transfer Eligibility Have Open Communication between the Compliance, Academics and Certification – Over share information preferably in writing

Questions? CONTACT: Suzanne Fox Assistant University Registrar Texas State University sf11@txstate.edu 512-245-8148