Sun Belt Conference Agrees to Raise Academic and Athletic Expectations
5/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | General
May 25, 2007
NEW ORLEANS - The Sun Belt Conference announced today that comprehensive performance standards will be implemented immediately for all sports with emphasis on men's and women's basketball, football, baseball, softball, volleyball and women's soccer. The standards were unanimously approved by the conference's member institutions today, and the document will be released in its entirety later this summer once minor technical additions are finalized.
The primary goal is to help conference schools compete at the highest level in NCAA play while also increasing retention and graduation rates. The intent is also to ensure the continuing improvement of both academic and athletic successes for Sun Belt Conference student-athletes and teams along with enhancing the overall experience for each school's fans and alumni. All Sun Belt schools will be expected within a three-year period to achieve minimum expectations in the areas of athletic performance, APR, scheduling, recruiting, attendance, staffing and ticket sales. The increased standards result from a year-long study conducted by a committee appointed by Dr. Sidney McPhee, Sun Belt Conference president (see background below).
"This is a tremendous advancement for the Sun Belt Conference," Commissioner Wright Waters said. "We are proud of what we have accomplished thus far as a conference, but we are not satisfied. The implementation of these academic and athletic standards will enable us to compete at the highest level in the increasingly highly competitive landscape of collegiate athletics. It also indicates the leadership at our schools has tremendous vision."
"These standards are the result of extensive, exhaustive and thorough analysis and dialogue," McPhee said. "The Chief Executive Officers of the conference approved this by a 13-0 vote. This is an indication that we all recognize what we have accomplished thus far but also understand the future steps that must be taken by all of us as we move forward in order to achieve and maintain a high level of athletic and academic success."
BACKGROUND
At the conference's annual spring meetings in 2006, all schools and the conference office agreed to thoroughly examine men's basketball with the goal of changing the culture and being more competitive in the NCAA Tournament. Following a gradual improvement in RPI from 20 in 2001 to 12 in 2005, the Sun Belt Conference dropped to 18 in 2006 and 20 in 2007. Recruiting, scheduling, staffing, television, ticket sales and revenue distribution were all studied to determine where improvement is necessary.
In October 2006, Sun Belt Conference President Sidney McPhee appointed a special committee of Sun Belt Conference Chief Executive Officers to examine the status of Sun Belt Football and Basketball and recommend changes that could be made to enhance the conference's position among IA peer institutions. Women's basketball, baseball, women's soccer, softball and volleyball were also added. The committee was chaired by Les Wyatt, President, Arkansas State University System and was identified as the Wyatt Committee. Its other members include Gretchen Bataille, President, University of North Texas; Frank Brogan, President, Florida Atlantic University; Jack Hawkins, President, Troy University; Gordon Moulton, President, University of South Alabama; Gary Ransdell, President, Western Kentucky University; Chris Massaro, Athletic Director, Middle Tennessee State University. The committee also met in person with Roy Kramer, retired Commissioner of the Southeastern Conference; and CM Newton, retired athletic director at The University of Kentucky.
