adapt. evolve. grow. the path up...increase budget replacement/trade revenue to $50,000. •explore...

Adapt. Evolve. Grow. The Path UP

MISSION STATEMENT

USC Upstate Athletics develops champions on the field, builds scholars in the classroom, and prepares leaders for life through their participation in intercollegiate athletics.


VISION

The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics aspires to serve as the gateway to the University for our alumni and community, and to be recognized as a source of pride for the University, community, alumni and students through our efforts on and off the field of play.


CORE VALUES

The Core Values of an athletics program are reflected by its goals and commitments. USC Upstate Athletics is committed to an experiential learning environment for our student-athletes, competing with honor and integrity, and conducting day-to-day business in the same way.

• Integrity: We commit to being honest and fair in all of our actions.• Servant Leadership: We serve our student-athletes, University community and

region through our actions and deeds.• Passion: We are enthusiastic in our dedication, positive in our attitude and exhibit

desire in our effort.• Equity: We promote and embrace equity, diversity and inclusion in people, ideas

and perspectives; we are fair and impartial.• Innovation: We curiously explore our environment while seeking new ideas and

creative solutions to meet current needs.• Collaboration: We partner together through expression and the transferring of

ideas to create success and achieve common goals.


STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

I. Competitive Success

II. Student-Athlete Experience and Success

III. Campus and Community Outreach & Engagement

IV.Fiscal Sustainability & Growth-Focused Funding

V. Facilities Management

VI.Professionalism and Program Integrity


COMPETITIVE SUCCESS

Create a culture of winning by excelling throughout the season, achieving victory in conference championships, attaining postseason success in all sports and by quality recruitment.


COMPETITIVE SUCCESS

GOALS

• Compete regularly for the Big South Commissioner’s Cup.• Annually finish in top-half of the Big South for each sport.• Development of Rivalry Series with local Big South schools.• Earn two or more postseason team bids annually to the NCAA tournament.• Earn at least 50 points annually towards the NACDA Directors Cup.• Increase team scholarship totals and operational budgets to meet and then

exceed Big South Averages.


STUDENT-ATHLETE EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS

Providing student-athletes with first class academic support, wellness and life preparation tools to excel academically and through their post-graduation life.


GOALS

• Ensuring the focus of the athletic department is always on the student- athletes.• Improve the student-athlete experience and the quality of life during the

students’ university enrollment by focusing on life skills acquisition, leadership lessons, nutrition, wellness, and mental health.

• Annual APR of 985.• Annual GSR of 90%.• Annual student-athlete cumulative GPA of 3.3.• Five-year goal to increase 6-year graduation rates by 10%.• Conduct annual Exit Interviews with student-athletes and F.A.R. and/or sports

administrator.• Provide annual written surveys to all student-athletes.• Track post-graduation success. • Increase of student-athlete academic support to include additional staffing,

tutors, and implementing a formal missed class policy.

STUDENT-ATHLETE EXPERIENCE & SUCCESSAdapt. Evolve. Grow. The Path UP

STUDENT-ATHLETE EXPERIENCE & SUCCESS

GOALS

• Celebrate individual student-athlete and team academic successes.• Strengthen partnerships between University offices and the Athletic Department

to advance the mission of both and the experience of our student-athletes.• Improve student-athletes’ long-term success in life by helping provide and

facilitate more high impact practice and career preparation opportunities, such as:• Interviewing and resume writing workshops.• The facilitation of internship and networking opportunities.• Study abroad programs, service learning, undergraduate research, active

learning and more. • Create more accessible rigorous, relevant and career driven activities within

our programming.


CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT

Inspire a culture of excitement surrounding USC Upstate Athletics in the community by strengthening and spreading brand awareness.



GOALS

• Position USC Upstate as not only the 5th largest NCAA Division I university

in the state, but also the school of choice for students, community and

staff.

• Provide exceptional customer service for all external events for our

department.

• Develop season ticket sales and basketball attendance goals:

• Season Tickets Sold – Increase by 10% per year

• Average Total Attendance – 75% capacity per game (MBB) & 50%

capacity per game (WBB)

• Increase overall awareness and marketing efforts for the athletic

department and university as a whole.



GOALS

• Increase digital marketing presence and engagement to double current

following totals.

• Increase marketing corporate partnerships in the community to twice our

current totals.

• Develop annual fan engagement programs for each team sport.

• Overall rebrand/refresh/revamp needed in 2-3 years’ time, possibly

including a new Spartan logo as well as a new institutional mark to

differentiate from USC Columbia.

• Development of fan engagement program for non-traditional students.

• Development of fan engagement program for alumni.


FISCAL SUSTAINABILITY & GROWTH-FOCUSED FUNDING

Achieve and maintain financial sustainability, while generating the funds necessary to grow our programs to meet and exceed the goals of our strategic plan.



GOALS

• Increase operating budget to be in the top half of the Big South.

• Institute a zero-based annual budget process.

• Conduct a regular three-year review of sports offerings.

• Increase annual revenue from corporate sponsorship to $200,000 and

increase budget replacement/trade revenue to $50,000.

• Explore adding a third-party to outsource and enhance corporate

sponsorships and associated revenue generation opportunities.

• Enhance licensing options to increase funding and improve brand

engagement.

• Increase overall fundraising efforts:

• Grow U Club membership by 15% annually

• Increase annual fund dollars by 10% annually



GOALS

• Create, develop and implement an athletic specific major gifts program.

• Create contingency budgets and a long-term cost savings plan.

• Explore alternative revenue generation ideas.

• Regularly earn the NCAA’s Academic Based Revenue Distribution.

• Develop athletic-specific goals as part of the University’s Capital

Campaign.


FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

Invest in the facilities required to provide the student-athletes the space and quality they need to excel at the highest level.



GOALS

• Explore Public-Private Partnership opportunities for a new convocation center.

• Explore the possibility of moving the central athletics administrative and coaching office space to the north side of campus to create an athletics type village.

• Explore the possibility of building Living/Learning lab to help alleviate space issue for athletics and construct a state-of-the-art performance center to enhance student-athlete performance and medical well-being, while providing university students a place to learn in a real-world environment.

• Develop maintenance & replacement budgets.



GOALS

• Conduct a Facility Rental/Cost Analysis Study for outdoor facilities.• Facility improvement and/or construction study and cost estimate for the

following: • Baseball (covered grandstand, enhanced fan seating, videoboard, etc.)• Soccer (covered grandstand, enhanced fan seating, etc.)• Softball (covered grandstand, enhanced fan seating, etc.)• Team locker rooms for Track, Soccer, Baseball, Softball & Golf • Track & Field (new track & field complex)• Tennis (court maintenance, enhanced locker rooms, etc.)• Golf (explore possibility of a short course facility & clubhouse on

campus, etc.)


PROFESSIONALISM AND PROGRAM INTEGRITY

Hire, train and assess leadership to ensure that the student-athletes and overall athletic department are receiving the guidance necessary for success.



GOALS

• Promote communication and transparency within the department and with the University.

• Continue to promote and maintain an atmosphere of compliance with all NCAA, Conference and University rules and regulations.• Improve rules education programming through the department,

campus, and community. • Maintain Title IX and gender equity compliance. • Support efforts to educate and raise awareness around hazing,

harassment, sexual misconduct, violence, and other forms of harmful and inappropriate behavior.



GOALS• Become the Big South’s model of professional development throughout the

entire athletic department by providing internal and external opportunities, such as: • Attending conferences, training opportunities and other annual and

consistent programs to promote the growth of each athletic staff member.• Become one of the top universities in the south for attracting and retaining the

highest quality of professional talent.• Improve retention & accountability of student-athletes, administrators and

coaches.• Increase coaching staff size to be in the top half of the conference. • Create a merit-based objective annual review process for coaches and staff to

ensure specific athletic programs are being provided sufficient resources to be successful, and staff is getting compensated adequately within the market in which we compete.


adapt. evolve. grow. the path up...increase budget replacement/trade revenue to $50,000. •explore...

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