3.2.11

The institution’s chief executive officer has ultimate responsibility for, and exercises appropriate administrative and fiscal control over, the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program. (Control of intercollegiate athletics)

Compliance Judgment

X     In compliance     Partially compliant     Non-compliant

Narrative

Francis Marion University has membership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Peach Belt Conference. With the exception of men’s golf, which participates at the NCAA Division I level, all teams participate at the NCAA Division II level and compete in the Peach Belt Conference as well.  Evidence that Francis Marion University’s chief executive officer oversees all athletic components is seen in the NCAA Division II Blueprint Compliance Program, the annually published faculty handbook, and in minutes from committee and Board of Trustees meetings.

The Department of Athletics staff and coaches comply with all rules and regulations of both the NCAA and the Peach Belt Conference, and the NCAA clearly states that “the institution’s president or chancellor is responsible for the administration of all aspects of the athletics program, including approval of the budget and audit of all expenditures” [1].

The NCAA Division II Blueprint Compliance Program administered by The Compliance Group as assigned by the NCAA office states in its findings that the Director of Athletics reports to the President [2]. In addition, the Department of Athletics Staff Manual  also states that the Director of Athletics reports directly to the President [3].

Administrative Oversight

The Director of Athletics reports directly to the President, serves on the President’s Senior Staff, and has weekly meetings with the President that involve the Vice President for Administration, Vice President for Business Affairs, Executive Director for Communication Services, Chairperson of the Faculty, General Counsel, Provost, Vice President for Development, and Vice President for Student Affairs [4]. The Director of Athletics holds additional direct meetings with the President as necessary. The job description, duties, and reporting procedures for the Athletics Director and other members of the Department of Athletics are provided in the Department of Athletics Staff Manual [5].

The NCAA Division II Blueprint Compliance Program administered by The Compliance Group as assigned by the NCAA during their campus visit confirmed in their report that the Director of Athletics has “weekly meetings with the President” and has regular access as needed [6]. Additionally, the President regularly reviews the Director of Athletics to ensure all standards are being met [7].

The Department of Athletics has an NCAA Compliance Committee, which reviews all NCAA eligibility issues, and consists of the Compliance Director, the Director of Admissions (or designee), the Assistant Director of Financial Aid (or designee), the Registrar (or designee), the Faculty Athletics Representative, the Senior Woman Administrator, and the Director of Athletics. The Director of Athletics then reports their work to the President as needed [8, 9].

Agendas are prepared before each meeting and distributed with all committee members having input on the agenda [10].

On June 1, 2015, a final report was received for a recently completed NCAA Division II Blueprint Compliance Program. This program was administered by The Compliance Group out of Lenexa, Kansas. The Compliance Group visited campus and interviewed the President, Director of Athletics, Faculty Athletic Representative, Director of Financial Aid, an admissions representative, Head Softball Coach and Senior Women’s Administrator, Director of Compliance, Cross Country Coach and Athletic Business manager, Head Athletics Trainer, Head Tennis Coach, Head Volleyball Coach and two student-athletes to determine the status of the athletic program. The report stated the following: “Institutional oversight of the athletics department is a strength of the institution. President Carter remains engaged in the process and continues to personally monitor the progress of the athletics department” [11].

Financial Control

According to the Faculty Handbook 2016, the “authority for the administration of the University is vested by the Board of Trustees in the President,” who is therefore over all “auxiliary enterprises.”  Furthermore, it states that one of the duties of the President is “to coordinate the preparation of the operating and capital budgets of the University and to submit proposed budgets to the Board of Trustees for its review and approval” [12, 13].

The University has no external unit that raises funds for intercollegiate athletics. The University supports its own organization, The Swamp Fox Club, which is administered through the university’s Development division, and the Francis Marion Education Foundation helps sponsor athletic grants-in-aid as well as other support for the intercollegiate athletic teams [14].

Prior to the 2000-2001 academic year, the Department of Athletics raised yearly donations at the $100,000 level. The annual total for the last five years has averaged $237,760 with a high of $266,865 for 2015-16 [15]. All fundraising activities are run through the institution’s normal procedures for the Francis Marion University Education Foundation and the University [16].

Additionally, the Blueprint Compliance Program states that for all athletic scholarships and financial aid, the Director of Athletics “checks for compliance with both the budget and squad list numbers” and that coaches must address financial issues weekly with the Director [17]. All athletic staff, namely the Director of Athletics, is under the authority and administrative control of the President, as seen in the university’s Organizational Chart [18].

Documentation

  1. NCAA Division II Manual, 2.1.1 Responsibility for Control, p. 3
  2. NCAA Division II Blueprint Compliance Program, Supervision, p. 5
  3. FMU Department of Athletics Staff Manual 2016-2017, Director of Athletics, p. 11
  4. FMU Department of Athletics Staff Manual 2016-2017, Director of Athletics, p. 11
  5. FMU Department of Athletics Staff Manual 2016-2017, p. 11-28
  6. NCAA Division II Blueprint Compliance Program, Supervision, p. 5
  7. Director of Athletics Evaluation by the President
  8. FMU Department of Athletics Staff Manual 2016-2017, NCAA Compliance Committee, p. 7
  9. FMU Department of Athletics Staff Manual 2016-2017, Director of Athletics, p. 11
  10. Compliance Committee Meeting Minutes March 20, 2017
  11. NCAA Division II Blueprint Compliance Program, General Observations, p. 6
  12. Faculty Handbook 2016, Administration of the University, p. 130-131
  13. Resolution for University Budget Approval June 23, 2016
  14. Catalog 2016-2017, Development, p. 10-11
  15. Department of Athletics Report to the Board of Trustees, p. 3
  16. Catalog 2016-2017, Development, p. 10
  17. NCAA Division II Blueprint Compliance Program, Financial Aid Administration, p. 13-15
  18. FMU Organizational Chart