New
Directions for Institutional Research
Data-Driven
Decision Making in Intercollegiate Athletics
Number
144 ´ Winter 2009
Updated
November 2011
Intercollegiate
athletics is no longer an area of interest solely for
coaches and athletic administrators; increasingly, this field has
captured the
curiosity of faculty, researchers, and the general public. Such
attention has
the potential to greatly affect the course the field of intercollegiate
athletics takes in the years to come. Conveniently, access to
information and
data on intercollegiate athletics has become readily and widely
available. The
following serves as an introduction to the numerous resources and terms
related
to the intercollegiate athletics arena.
Resources
Provides
summary APR data as well as APR data by
school.
American Association of
University Professors (AAUP)
Provides
access to publications and research reports on
intercollegiate athletics and higher education.
American College of Sports Medicine
(ACSM)
A
sports medicine and exercise science organization leading in the
science of exercise; diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of sport-
related
injuries. The site also provides funding resources for researchers
interested
in sports medicine.
CAGE:
The
Coaching and Gender Equity Project
A
report that explores issues contributing to the
underrepresentation of women in coaching positions of womenÍs
collegiate teams.
Provides recommendations to ensure gender equity in collegiate
athletics.
Collection of data that ranges from state by state, institutions, administrator, faculty, student, and financial data.
Coalition
on Intercollegiate Athletics (COIA)
The
Division I-A Faculty Senate Coalition provides policy papers
and reports on intercollegiate athletics and higher education.
Invites
colleges and universities sponsoring Division III
athletics interested in strengthening the bonds between intercollegiate
athletics and educational values to participate in ongoing research and
integration efforts.
Datalys Center for Sports
Injury Research and Prevention
National
nonprofit that helps researchers conduct injury
surveillance and research projects that translate information into
better
prevention, public health, and sports medicine outcomes.
Established by the NCAA to ensure transparency and compliance to the principles of intercollegiate athletics. Division I Certification Program on hold from August 1, 2011 to August 1, 2013.
A
national network of college faculty interested in the reform of
intercollegiate athletics. Publications and research reports on
intercollegiate
athletics and higher education are available.
Equity in Athletics Data
Analysis Cutting Tool
U.S.
Department of EducationÍs Office of Postsecondary Education
searchable database. Provides customized reports on one institution as
well as
aggregated data for a group of colleges and or universities.
Database on athletic departments revenues and expenses.
Government Accountability Office
Provides
accountability reports to the U.S. Congress on topics
related to intercollegiate athletics.
Higher
Education Research Institute (HERI)
Administers
several surveys on attitudes, values, and experiences
of college students. Also administers the Cooperative Institutional
Research
Program Freshman Survey, a longitudinal study surveying first-year
students at
over nineteen hundred institutions, and houses the College
StudentsÍ Beliefs
and Values survey administered by the Spirituality in Higher Education
Project.
Housed at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Institute for Diversity and
Ethics in Sport
Provides
reports of student athlete graduation rates, racial
attitudes in sports, and hiring practices in coaching and athletic
administration.
Knight Commission on
Intercollegiate Athletics
Formed
by university presidents and trustees, faculty, and former
student athletes to propose reform efforts that emphasize academic
values in an
arena where commercialization of college sports often over shadows the
underlying goals of higher education. This site makes available
publications
and research reports on this topic.
National Center for
Catastrophic Sport Injury Research
Publishes
three reports annually that highlight data on fatal and
catastrophic injuries pertaining to the brain or spinal cord.
National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA)
Provides
data and reports on the academic performance and
educational experience of student athletes among member institutions.
National Federation of State High
School Associations (NFHS)
Administers
the Participation Figures Search survey that provides
the number of high schools offering a specific sport. Also provides a
history
of boysÍ and girlsÍ high school participation rates in
particular sports.
National Survey of
Student Engagement (NSSE)
A
survey that assesses undergraduate educational experiences,
particularly concerning how students spend their time and what they
gain from
the college experience.
NCAA
Diversity and Inclusion Resources
A
list of resources providing historical information,
clarifications, policy information, and professional development that
can
inform diversity and inclusion efforts.
NCAA and Federal Graduation Rates - New for 2011
Provides trends in Graduation Success Rates and Federal Graduation Rates at NCAA Division I Institutions time and what they gain from the college experience.
Provides
information on programs, publications, and resources
related to gender equity.
NCAA
Injury
Surveillance System (ISS)
A
resource that provides injury and exposure data for evidence-based
decision making on health and safety issues.
NCAA
Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rates Report
Presents
statistical data on average squad sizes by gender,
division, and sport.
Provides overview of Title IX and testimonies on the impact of Title IX. Gender equity and participation data reports available.
Student-Athlete
Experiences Data Archive – New
for 2010
Inter-University
Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)
& NCAA data from member institutions on the educational experiences
and
outcomes of its student athletes. Institutional-level data (i.e.,
graduation
rates, Academic Progress Rates, etc.) and individual-level data (i.e.,
results
from the NCAA's GOALS and SCORE surveys).
U.S.
Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights
Provides
assistance to institutions to address and prevent
discrimination and comply with civil rights laws.
U.S.
Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Provides
access to information on programs, policy initiatives,
reports, and resources on issues of access and quality of postsecondary
education.
USA
Today College Athletics Finances Database New
for 2011
Data from 36 revenue and expense items from NCAA member schools’
budgets.
USA
Today College Football Coaching Salary Database New
for 2011
Database on football head coach and assistant coach salaries.
Women in
Intercollegiate Sport: A Longitudinal, National Study
Since
1977 has reported on the status of women coaches, staff, and
administrators at NCAA member institutions.
Women's Sports
Foundation Research and Policy Institute
Issues
publications, research reports, essays, position papers, and
policy statements on gender and athletics.
Glossary
Academic
Performance Census (APC)
Beginning
in 1994, the NCAA instituted the APC as a voluntary data collection
built in a
similar way as the Academic Performance Study (APS) for all Division I
& II
programs. Longitudinal data that tracks first-year academic performance
and
final outcome data on every student athlete who received an athletic
scholarship. In 2009, Division II began requiring APC data from all its
institutions.
Academic
Performance Program (APP)
In
the 2003–2004 academic year, the NCAA began requiring annual academic
data reporting on all Division I scholarship student athletes (and
selected
non-scholarship athletes). This includes the data elements that the
NCAA uses
to calculate an academic progress rate for every Division I team. See
Academic
progress rate.
Academic
progress rate (APR)
Tracks
progress to degree using credits attempted and earned, grade point
averages,
and eligibility and retention status for every Division I scholarship
student
athlete. Division I colleges that do not offer athletics-related
financial aid
are exempt from reporting the federal rate (primarily Ivy League
schools and
military academies).
Academic
success rate (ASR)
Tracks
progress to graduation at Division II institutions. Includes students
not
receiving athletics aid, in recognition of the high percentage of
Division II
student athletes who fall into this category.
Acclamation
period
A
five-day progression at the start of preseason practice that allows
student
athletes to acclimate to exercise intensity, the addition of equipment
in the
heat, and environmental stressors. Includes provisions for days with
multiple
practice sessions.
American
Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM)
An
organization of physicians committed to the advancement of research and
practice in the field of sports medicine.
American
Society for Testing of Materials International (ASTM)
An
international organization addressing the standardization needs in
numerous
industries.
Committee
on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports (CSMAS)
Provides
research and leadership development opportunities that promote a
healthy and
safe environment for student athletes. See National Injury Surveillance
System
(ISS).
Convenience
sample
The
selection of a population on the basis of accessibility or the
researcherÍs
discretion.
Division
I-A, I-AA, I-AAA
Former
categorization of institutions with football teams. Division I-AAA,
however, classified
schools that did not have a football team. See Football Bowl
Subdivision;
Football Championship Series.
Duplicated
count
Counts
an athlete once for each sport in which he or she participates. Used
for
determining sport participation opportunities.
Emerging
sports
NCAA
designation that gives certain sports seeking to achieve gender equity
greater
visibility and support. If a sport gains enough teams, it moves from
emerging
to championship sport status.
Equity
in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA)
Mandates
requiring colleges to report the number of students on each
menÍs and womenÍs
athletic teams; the amount of money spent on athletic scholarships for
male and
female students; the numbers of male and female coaches for
menÍs and womenÍs
teams; and the total revenues and expenses from the
institutionÍs
intercollegiate athletic activities.
Equivalency
sport
NCAA
term for determining the limit on the number of scholarships that may
be
offered per sport. The school may divide up a single scholarship among
more
than one athlete. Examples of equivalency sports (and the number of
scholarships that may be offered) are field hockey (twelve), golf
(six),
lacrosse (twelve), rowing (twenty), soccer (fourteen), softball
(twelve), track
and field/cross country (eighteen), and swimming/diving (fourteen). See
also
Head count sport.
Evidence-based
decision making
The
process of relying on experts, research, and knowledge of a field to
formulate
informed decisions or recommendations.
Football
Bowl Subdivision (FBS)
Category
of Division I football garnering the most visibility; eligible for
participation in bowl games sponsored by the Bowl Championship Series.
Formerly
Division I-A.
Football
Championship Series (FCS)
Category
of Division I football programs that do not participate in the Bowl
Championship Series. Formerly Division I-AA.
Graduation
rates (federal)
Term
that indicates the percentage of undergraduates completing a degree
program.
Graduation
success rate (GSR)
Tracks
progress to degree completion in Division I institutions. The GSR takes
into
account transfer students and allows for students who leave
institutions prior
to graduation be subtracted from graduation rate calculation. See also
Academic
success rate.
Head
count sport
NCAA
term for determining the limit on the number of scholarships that may
be
offered per sport. No more than the designated number of individuals
(head
counts) may receive aid (such as twelve head count for gymnastics,
twelve for
womenÍs volleyball, and eight for womenÍs tennis). See
also Equivalency sport.
Initial
Eligibility Clearinghouse (IEC)
Since
1994 has determined the academic eligibility status of all prospective
student
athletes entering Division I and II schools. See National Eligibility
Center.
Intercollegiate
Athletics Policy Clarification: The Three Part Test – Part Three - New for 2010
Withdrew
the "2005 Additional Clarification" to Title IX compliance which
allowed colleges and universities to administer "Student Interest
Surveys" to verify that their institutions are meeting the third option
of
the three-part test of Title IX compliance. The OCR made available a
set of
criteria to be used to determine if the institution is effectively
accommodating the interests and abilities of the members of the
underrepresented sex.
National
Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
A
governing organization with approximately 300 member institutions that
promotes
student athlete academic achievement, character development, and
athletic
success.
National
Athletic TrainersÍ Association (NATA)
An
organization that provides support and advocacy on behalf of those in
the
athletic training profession.
National
Eligibility Center (NEC)
Determines
the academic eligibility status of all prospective student athletes
entering
Division I and II schools since autumn 2006. See Initial Eligibility
Clearinghouse.
National
Injury Surveillance System (ISS)
Monitors
injury trends to enhance safety in intercollegiate athletics. Injury
and
exposure data are collected yearly from a volunteer sample of NCAA
member
institutions. The goal of the NCAA injury surveillance program is to
monitor
and reduce injury rates through suggested changes in rules, protective
equipment, medical care policy, or coaching techniques. See Committee on
Competitive
Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports.
Office
of Civil Rights (OCR)
The
U.S. Department of Education agency responsible for oversight and
enforcement
of Title IX.
Proposition
48
The
first NCAA initial academic eligibility standards based on a core grade
point average
(GPA). Prior to Proposition 48, overall high school GPA was used for
freshmen
eligibility purposes.
Random
sample
Selection
of a population through a random but controlled selection where each
individual
has the same probability of being chosen.
Regression
analysis
Implements
a linear model to data to predict the values of the dependent variable
from a
number of independent variables.
Risk
management decision making
The
process of relying on assessment of risks to make an informed decision.
For example,
recommendations for assignment of athletic trainers to activities are
based on
risk and comparison of institutional injury rates with divisional and
national
totals.
Student
Right-to-Know Act
Mandated
the reporting of student athlete graduation rates, financial assistance
awarded, and crime statistics for institutions receiving federal Title
IV
funding.
Substantially
proportionate
One
of three options for determining compliance with the participation
provision of
Title IX. Based on overall undergraduate enrollment. Also known as
proportionality and prong 1. See also Three-part test.
Three-part
test
Used
to determine if a college is providing equitable sport participation
opportunities. To comply with prong 1 (proportionality), the percentage
of male
and female student athletes should reflect the student body. To comply
with
prong 2, the college must have a history and continuing practice of
program
expansion for the underrepresented. To comply with prong 3, a college
must
accommodate the interests and abilities of the underrepresented gender.
A
college must meet only one of the three prongs in order to be
considered in
compliance with Title IXÍs equitable sport participation
opportunity provision.
Title
IV
Federal
law passed in 1965 as part of the Higher Education Act, providing
financial
assistance for students by increasing federal aid to higher education
institutions and students.
Title
VII
Federal
law passed in 1964 as part of the Civil Rights Act, mandating equity in
employment opportunities and decisions. Educational institutions were
included
under Title VII in 1972.
Title
IX
Federal
law passed in 1972 as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. Changed
to the
Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act in 2002 to honor the
primary
author. Known widely for its implications in education-based sport
programs,
Title IX requires equity in ten key areas of education: access, career
education, employment, math and science, standardized testing,
athletics,
education for pregnant and parenting students, learning environment,
sexual
harassment, and technology.
Unduplicated
count
Counts
an athlete as one regardless of whether the individual participates in
more
than one sport. Used for determining scholarship ratios.