President's Charge to Committee

Aug. 26, 2005

Dear Colleague,

The 2005-06 academic year will be a pivotal one for the UNC Athletic Department. Our intercollegiate athletics operation will undergo certification by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The process is akin to our successful institutional accreditation last year by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. Like HLC accreditation, NCAA certification occurs every 10 years. Also like HLC, NCAA certification is a comprehensive, campus-wide process aimed at ensuring that our program produces quality outcomes.

I am writing to invite you to be a member of the university’s steering committee for athletics certification. The steering committee will guide our activities over the academic year as we address the three main tenets of NCAA certification: governance and commitment to rules compliance, academic integrity, and equity and student-athlete welfare. We intend to have subcommittees for each area.

I am committed to UNC having an Athletic Department that is a part of the university, not apart from it. Our primary focus is the student in student-athlete. As we continue our move to Division I, it is vital that we continue to sharpen that focus. Certification will be a tool to help us in that effort. I appreciate your participation.

Sincerely,

Kay Norton