Impacts of Possible Transition from Div. II to Div. I

Possible Transition from Division II to Division I

The expected impacts to the University

Presented jointly by the President’s Office, Campus Life and Athletics

Presentation Outline

Impacts of Possible Transition from Div. II to Div. I

I. Current statusII. Is UIW prepared for Division I?III. Timeline of a transition, if it were to happenIV. Division I and the impacts to the universityV. Frequently Asked Questions

Current Status

Impacts of Possible Transition from Div. II to Div. I

• Division II, Lone Star Conference• 19 sports; 18 are NCAA sponsored (Synchronized Swimming is not “NCAA

Sponsored”• Men’s Sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, track

and field, soccer, swimming and diving, • Women’s sports: basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and

diving, synchronized swimming, tennis, track, volleyball• Possible addition of fencing when Fine Arts building is built

• 600+ student athletes• Similar schools in our conference (size, academic stature, number of teams and

athletes): Abilene Christian

Differences Between Division II and Division I

Impacts of Possible Transition from Div. II to Div. I

NCAA Division I Requirement UIW Status Notes

Number of sports: Division I institutions must offer at least 14 sports (at least seven for men and seven for women, or six for men and eight for women)

UIW sponsors 19 sports (9 for men and 10 for women)

Number of sports: Division I institutions must sponsor at least two team sports for each gender

UIW sponsors four male team sports and five female team sports

Number of sports: Division I institutions must have participating male and female teams or participants in fall, winter and spring seasons.

UIW has sports that compete in all three seasons.

Scheduling: Division I institutions must play a minimum number of contests against Division I opponents.

UIW will play a Division I schedule once membership is granted. Some of our teams already compete against Division I opponents.

Financial Aid: Division I institutions must offer a minimum amount of financial aid but may not exceed established maximums.

UIW meets this requirement.

Division I and Impacts to the University

Impacts of Possible Transition from Div. II to Div. I

2012 – 2013 school year possible impacts:- Increased Athletics budget to pay for travel expenses and recruiting expenses- Increased level of competition for sports- Increase of student fees to a maximum of $100.00 per semester- Staff increases expected:

- Academic advisors- Graduate assistants in administrative areas

2013 – 2014 school year possible impacts:- Increased Athletics budget to pay for travel expenses and recruiting expenses- Begin playing Division I schools in some sports- Addition of fencing as a sport- Increased availability of financial aid for students

- Need to increase student-athlete financial aid also means a parallel increase in student financial aid.

- Additional academic space expected

Frequently Asked Questions

Impacts of Possible Transition from Div. II to Div. I

Why will Division I improve our degrees?• With a successful transition to Division I athletics, our admission standards are

expected to increase, thus making our admission process more competitive, which builds equity in our degrees.

• A transition to Division I will align us with universities of similar size and stature, including professional academic schools (Pharmacy, Optometry, Physical Therapy, etc.), campus activities (concerts, comedy shows, etc.) and Athletics.

How would a transition to Division I improve our facilities?• Make facility improvements/upgrades, which could include new academic

classroom/space• Increase the amount of academic/advising support• Improve recreation facilities for our growing intramural and club sports program• Increase the number of computer labs, study areas and functional study/tutoring

space, • Renovate existing facilities (Wellness Center, Convocation Center, etc.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Impacts of Possible Transition from Div. II to Div. I

Would going Division I impact the size of our university?- Whether we go Division I or not, our university will continue to grow in its

enrollment. Division I would require the university to increase our funding and facilities, therefore, probably helping to manage the university’s rapid student enrollment growth.

Is this move all about football?- Absolutely not. There are many Div. I programs without football. This vision to

transition is mostly guided by the need to align ourselves with universities of similar size, academic structure, athletics, student life, etc. Additionally, it would help brand our university’s name on a national scale.