The certification program's purpose is to help ensure integrity in the institution's athletics operations. It opens up athletics to the rest of the university/college community and to the public. Institutions will benefit by increasing campus-wide awareness and knowledge of the athletics program, confirming its strengths and developing plans to improve areas of concern.
This is the second time West Point has received its 10-year certification.
While academic accreditation is common in colleges and universities, this program focuses solely on certification of athletics programs. West Point completed its most recent certification self-study in 1999 and also was part of a pilot project, after which the Division I membership overwhelmingly supported the program and its standards at the 1993 NCAA Convention.
At the 1997 Convention, the Division I membership voted to change the frequency of athletics certification from once every five years to once every 10 years and to require a five-year interim-status report. Thus, the current self-study was the third in the certification process for West Point.
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 certification process is separate from the NCAA’s enforcement program, which investigates allegations of rules violations by NCAA member institutions. A decision of certified does not exempt an institution from concurrent or subsequent enforcement proceedings.
The NCAA is a membership organization of colleges and universities that participate in intercollegiate athletics. The primary purpose of the Association 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.
West Point competes in NCAA Division I in football as an independent and in other NCAA sports as a member of the Patriot League, Atlantic Hockey Association, Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association, Great American Rifle Conference and the Eastern College Athletic Conference Gymnastics League.
About West Point
West Point, The U.S. Military Academy, is a four-year co-educational federal undergraduate liberal arts college located 50 miles north of New York City. The world's preeminent leader development institution, it was founded in 1802 as America's first college of engineering. Its mission remains constant-to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army. For more information, go to www.westpoint.edu