Intercollegiate Athletics Policies, Procedures and Plans (3P) Manual Section: Student-Athlete Welfare – Academic Policies Last revised and updated and revised June 10, 2016 NOTE: Copies of all “Student-Athlete Welfare” sections of the PPM will also be found in the Western “Student-Athlete Handbook.”
Academics Student-athletes at Western routinely carry a grade point average (GPA) which is higher than the average of the students on campus who are not involved in a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sport non-student-athletes on campus. This reality does not come without some intentionality on the part of the student-athlete and others on the Western campus. Below are a few of the key policies and procedures which help to ensure student-athletes at Western continue to excel in the classroom and accomplish the ultimate academic goal of graduation.
Class Attendance Occasions occur when a student-athlete must miss class in order to travel to competitions. Every attempt reasonable should be made in scheduling to minimize these conflicts, but they do occur. The following steps taken by the student-athlete (SA) will help assure minimum conflict, maximum academic success and maximum communication:
The SA should communicate with their coach, academic advisor and their professor concerning the potential conflicts. o Academic Advisor: The SA should work closely with their academic advisor to minimize conflict with practices and competitions. o Professor: The SA should communicate often and in advance with their professor regarding any potential conflicts with class scheduling. SAs should tell their professors in person the first day of class that they are a student-athlete and there may be days missed due to competition. As soon as possible the SA should provide the professor with the actual days that may be missed in writing. SAs should verify these days with their coach in advance of sharing them with the professor. This will likely be an ongoing process throughout the semester as travel dates adjust for various reasons. SAs should contact their professors AGAIN before leaving on a trip and turn in assignments prior to departing unless otherwise directed by their professor. SAs should follow-up with the professor as soon as they return to class to double check on potential vital information that may have missed. ALWAYS attend class when you are not on the road traveling to compete. Attend classes right up to when you are required to be at the gymnasium to prepare to travel. Attend class as soon as you return even if you return late the night before or early morning the day of class.
SAs who have a conflict with a professor regarding class attendance that cannot be resolved should consult their coach and/or the Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR). 2
Class Attendance Versus Practice Attendance As a reminder SAs are prohibited by NCAA Division bylaws from missing a class to attend a practice. Barring any discipline sanctions, etc. coaches have sole control of determining who participates in competition for their program. As such when one SA #1 cannot be in attendance for practice but SA #2 one can it is ultimately the coach’s discretion to determine if SA #2 is deserving of more participation during competition as a result of their practice performance. This reality of the importance of both class time and practice time should make for a sense of urgency for the proper selection of courses in advance so as to minimize the possible class and practice conflicts.
Additional Academic Support Systems Academic Boot Camp for Athletics Staff The Associate Athletics Director for Internal Operations and Compliance (AADIOC) shall work with the FAR to schedule an “Academic Boot Camp” for new full-time coaching staff members. This camp shall occur twice a year (early spring and late summer) and shall feature, along with the FAR, members from the following Western offices: Academic Resource Center (ARC) Registrar’s Office Progress Reports The ARC graciously works with faculty to collect progress reports approximately three times per semester for various student population groups, including student-athletes. These progress reports are delivered to the AADIOC who in turn separates them out by sport and sends them on to the respective sport head coaches for review. Holds on Student-Athlete Accounts The Registrar’s Office works with the AADIOC and members of the Information Technology (IT) staff to ensure that student-athletes are from easily dropping or adding a course at most times during the academic year. This is to help ensure that at a minimum the head coach of the SA’s program as well as the AADIOC are involved with the decision to add or drop a course, particularly after a semester is underway for a few weeks. When student-athletes are informed of the hold on their account they should contact both their coach and the AADIOC to discuss the request to have the hold temporarily removed. If the request is approved the AADIOC can typically remove the hold in a few hours after the request. The hold removal is usually temporary and lasts until early the next morning when Western’s computer systems reset. Annual Review of Student-Athlete Time Requirements Beginning in 2016-17 on an annual basis all SAs (both those whose eligibility expired and those with remaining eligibility) shall receive a survey issued jointly by the Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee (IAC). The scope of the survey shall 3
be to ascertain aggregate data on the perspectives of Western’s student-athletes in regards to the time demands they face as a result of being a student-athlete and ultimately whether they truly feel that the Division II ideal of “Life in the Balance” is being upheld at Western. The focus will be comprehensive in terms of looking at stress placed on a student-athlete in the academic, social, emotional, spiritual and physical spheres. The SAAC and IAC shall work collectively to suggest, then review and refine the questions in advance of distribution. The first electronic distribution of surveys shall occur after the conclusion of the fall seasons followed by the conclusion of the winter seasons and finally the spring seasons. The collected information shall initially be reviewed in the early summer by the FAR, the Director of Athletics and their representative(s), as well as by the Executive Vice President. Subsequently the information shall be reviewed jointly by the SAAC and the IAC at the beginning of the following academic year. Plans for any needed improvements will be the responsibility of the Director of Athletics and shall be made in conjunction with the aforementioned individuals as well as any coaches whose programs are impacted.