UW Athletics Department Receives NCAA Certification

March 10, 2011

The NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification has recertified the University of Wyoming Intercollegiate Athletics Department for a full 10-year period, Athletics Director Tom Burman and the NCAA announced today (Thursday).

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

NCAA certification ensures integrity in the institution's athletics program and assists institutions in improving their athletics departments. NCAA legislation mandating athletics certification was adopted in 1993.

The notification by the NCAA comes after an intensive two-year self-study that examined academic integrity, governance and commitment to rules compliance, as well as a commitment to gender and diversity and student-athlete well-being.

When UW concluded its study, an external team of reviewers conduct a three-day evaluation visit at the university. Those reviewers were peers from other colleges, universities or conference offices.

Burman said each NCAA Division I institution is required to undergo certification once every 10 years, with every school's goal to be certified.

"First, we want to thank everyone on our UW NCAA Certification Steering Committee, led by Maggi Murdock (associate provost and dean of the UW Outreach School)," Burman said. "The members of our Steering Committee as well as all of the subcommittees put in many hours of hard work to assist the NCAA during this review of our athletics department. We're thrilled that the NCAA has recognized the good work that our student-athletes, coaches, staff and administrators do here at the University of Wyoming."

"Last year, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association granted UW a full, 10-year accreditation, confirming the quality of our academic programs and processes," UW President Tom Buchanan said. "This week the National Collegiate Athletics Association granted UW a full, 10-year certification, confirming the quality of our intercollegiate athletics programs and processes. I expected nothing less -- UW's Department of Intercollegiate Athletics' commitment to excellence, both on and off the field of competition, is unparalleled."

The NCAA is a membership organization of colleges and universities that participate in intercollegiate athletics. Its primary purpose is to maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body. Activities of the NCAA membership include formulating rules of play for NCAA sports, conducting national championships, adopting and enforcing standards of eligibility and studying all phases of intercollegiate athletics.

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