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POLICIES FOR INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS

The University of Michigan is committed to the highest levels of integrity in the operation of its intercollegiate athletics programs. To ensure that such levels are achieved, the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has a number of written policies in place that it disseminates widely through a variety of means. There also are extensive monitoring and accountability structures in place that flow from staff and administrators in the Department up through the Director of Athletics to the Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics, the Faculty Representative, the President of University, and the Board of Regents. Some of the key mechanisms in ensuring integrity are described below.

The Department’s Compliance Coordinator is responsible for promoting, evaluating, and directing the Department’s compliance with the rules and regulations of the University, the Big Ten Conference, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and the NCAA. In addition, oversight of academic integrity is carried out through the Board in Control’s Committee on Academic Performance. This Committee is composed of faculty members plus a representative of the Registrar and is responsible for determining the eligibility of candidates for competition, assessing the academic performance of all student-athletes, and ensuring that student-athletes have educational opportunities equal to those of other students at the University of Michigan.

The Athletic Department’s policies are published in the Student Athlete Handbook, which also describes the Department’s mission and includes a statement of the rights and responsibilities of student-athletes at the University. The Handbook is widely distributed to all student-athletes, their parents, and the coaches.

Another key publication is the Booster Guide, which describes NCAA and Big Ten Conference rules pertaining to a booster’s relationship with both the University and the student-athlete. This Guide and/or its abbreviated version is disseminated to all booster groups, local Chamber of Commerce members, all season ticket holders, and others. Similarly, "The University of Michigan’s Guide to NCAA Rules for Former Students, Fans, and Friends of the University" is distributed widely to individuals who are interested in University of Michigan Athletics and may have contact with current or potential student-athletes.

As these examples indicate, the Department undertakes extensive efforts to educate student-athletes, departmental staff, and other individuals affiliated with University of Michigan athletics about compliance with the rules and regulations that govern intercollegiate athletics. Besides printed pamphlets and publications described above, the Department communicates compliance information through various other means such as Media Guides, Game Programs, magazine articles, meetings of targeted groups, speaking engagements, radio show appearances, and the like.

Financial integrity is ensured through internal and external audits. In addition to the annual certified audit of the Department, external auditors confirm annually the amount and type of booster club contributions to and on behalf of the Department.

Finally, the integrity of the Department’s operations and their compliance with the operating principles of the NCAA were certified by the NCAA in 1997 after a three-year review process that involved U-M faculty, students, staff, alumni, representatives of peer institutions and outside organizations.