Principles of Institutional Control
Institutional control of athletics is a fundamental requirement of NCAA
Legislation. Specifically, the NCAA consitution provides that each
institution shall be responsible for:
• Controling its intercollegiate athletics program in compliance with
the rules and regulations of the Association
A key indicator of an institution's commitment to compliance and
institutional control is the extent to which each sports program
(regardless of its visibility or potential for producing income) is
subject to the same operating procedures and standards in terms of rules
compliance
Regular personnel assessment is a crucial element of institutional
accountability. By appropriately rewarding or penalizing individuals
based on an assessment of their compliance performance, the institution
explicitly demonstrates its control and commitment.
• Monitoring its program to ensure compliance, indentifying and
reporting to the Association instances in which compliance has not been
achieved and taking appropriate corrective actions.
To support compliance monitoring and oversight of programs, institutions
are required to establish procedures for investigating alleged
violations and self-reporting discovered violations.
Evaluation of an institution's compliance program and administrative
systems through self-study and external review provides important
opportunities to gauge overall efforts to effect rules compliance and
institutional control.
• Ensuring that members of the institution's staff, student-athletes and
other individuals or groups representing the instution's athletics
interest comply with all applicable Association rules.
Rules compliance must be a collective instiutional responsibility.
Certainly, the compliance responsibilities of teh athletic department
are substantial, but the institution must recognize the important role
that other departments and administrators play throughout the
institution.
The Committee on Infractions has placed the burden of proof on
institutions to demonstrate control of their athletic program. The
committee has stated that problems related to institutional control may
exist if:
-
Coaching staff members are aware of violations and do nothing.
-
Administrative staff members should have been aware of violations but
were not.
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A pattern of reoccuring violations is evident.
