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

2. 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
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)

3. 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

4. IMPORTANCE OF POLICIES & PROCEDURES

5. 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.

6. 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?

7. THREE BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY
(NCAA DIVISION I)

8. 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

9. 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 & )

10. Good Academic Standing
Determined by the institution for all students – NCAA Bylaws and :
“…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.

11. 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

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

13. 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

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

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

16. TEAM ELIGIBILITY WORKSHEET

17. 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.

18. 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

20. TRANSFER ELIGIBILITY

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 2-4
NON- QUALIFIER
SUMMARY FORM

25. 2-4
QUALIFIER
SUMMARY FORM

26. Declaration of Degree & Changes in Degree Program

27. 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 (d)]
Degree applicability not retro-active to a previous terms or terms

28. 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 s 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

29. 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 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

30. 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

31. WRAP UP

32. 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

33. Questions? CONTACT: Suzanne Fox Assistant University Registrar
Texas State University