Benefits
The core of athletics certification is the institution’s self-study, in which campus-wide participation is critical. An effective self-study benefits the institution by providing:
- Self-awareness. The self-study offers a unique opportunity to educate individuals across the campus about the athletics program’s goals and purposes, the many challenges facing athletics and the ways in which athletics supports the institution’s mission.
- Affirmation. Athletics certification is couched in the affirmative—its aim, after all, is to certify— and the self-study process will reveal many aspects of the athletics program worthy of praise.
- Opportunities to improve. Even an outstanding program can be better, and problems will be identified routinely as part of any institution’s self-study. As these problems come to light, the self-study process will offer a forum for suggestions from individuals with a wide range of experience.
