Providence, R.I.--The NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification has certified the athletics program at Providence College for another 10 years. The College was notified of the decision in a recent letter from the committee chair, Nathan O. Hatch, to President Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. '80.

PC was one of 35 Division I colleges and universities to receive certification in the most recent round of reviews. All 326 active Division I members participate in the NCAA-mandated process. This was the second cycle of certification for the College, which last received a 10-year certification in 1999.

A designation of 'certified' means that an institution operates its athletics program in substantial conformity with operating principles adopted by the Division I membership.

The intent of athletics certification is to ensure the NCAA's fundamental integrity in intercollegiate athletics and to assist institutions in improving their athletics departments. The program aims to achieve this goal in three ways:

• by opening the affairs of athletics to the college or university community and the public;
• by setting standards, or operating principles, for the operation of--in PC's case--Division I athletics programs; and
• by putting tough sanctions in place for institutions that fail to conduct a comprehensive self-study to correct problems.

Michael V. Frazier, vice president for finance and business/CFO, who served as the College's chair of the NCAA Self-Study Steering Committee for the second consecutive time, expressed satisfaction with the certification decision.

"The process this go-around was much more streamlined and focused. There was no question in my mind that the College would receive the highest level of certification," he said.

Frazier added that the NCAA self-assessment "process is a healthy one" and noted that "the NCAA certified the program without conditions."

"Providence College should be proud of its student-athletes and proud of the fact that we are true to our educational mission while competing at the highest level of NCAA athletic competition," he said.

The 13-member steering committee initiated the College's self-study process in October 2007. In all, approximately three-dozen members of the College community participated, comprising administrators, staff, faculty, students, trustees, and alumni.

Nearly all of those involved served on one of the steering committee's three subcommittees in the areas of Government and Commitment to Rules Compliance, Academic Integrity, and Equity and Student-Athlete Well-Being.

The self-study was submitted to the NCAA in April 2008. A peer-review team visited the campus in September 2008 to review the self-study and to conduct a site visit. The chair of the team was Brother Mel Anderson, president emeritus of St. Mary's College of California, a Roman Catholic, liberal arts institution administered by the De La Salle Christian Brothers.

The other members were Chandra Bierwirth, assistant director of athletics/compliance at The George Washington University, and Glenn Hoffmann, associate athletic director at Niagara University.

Over the course of three days, team members toured the campus, held group meetings, and met one-on-one with numerous representatives of the College community. The group meetings included one with the steering committee and another with members of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Peer-review team members also met with Father Shanley.

The NCAA Committee on Athletics Certification deliberated individual institutions' athletics self-studies in February. PC was informed of the committee's decision in April.

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