University Athletics Committee
Meeting of January 26, 2009

Present: Grube, Knotts, Cooper, Menickelli, Causby, Gift, Boan-Lenzo, Ha, Moranda, Swanger, Wooten

I. Approval of Minutes – Minutes from previous meeting were approved.

II. Old Business
a. Department Head Scheduling Suggestions. Gibbs will share at DH Workshop.
b. The committee discussed progress reports for student-athletes and provided suggestions for improving the process. The committee recommended simplifying the form. Consider using just two categories (satisfactory and unsatisfactory) and only asking two questions (attendance and academic performance). The cover email should say that “the report should take less than one minute to complete.” There is probably no need to ask for faculty email and phone number on the form. The committee would also like more communication about what is being done with the progress reports. Is it possible for student-athletes with unsatisfactory ratings to be required to meet with their professor? The committee wondered whether student-athletes could get a copy of how they are doing as well as staff from Student-Athlete Academic Support Services. Another committee member asked if she could get all the student-athletes in each of her classes as one email instead of multiple emails. Finally, there was some discussion about the role of coaches in the academic performance of student-athletes. Are coaches permitted to directly contact professors?

III. New Business
a. Update from Head Baseball Coach, Bobby Moranda. Coach Moranda talked about the challenges of getting academic money for top rated student-athletes. He talked about the academic successes of the baseball team and reported a good working relationship with Student-Athlete Academic Support Services. He also discussed the challenges associated with recent NCAA rules about scholarship amounts to baseball players.
b. Appeals update. Sue reported on the results of a January 2009 appeal. The decision to deny a transfer request for a student-athlete was upheld by the committee.

IV. Next meetings
• February 23, 1:30, Cardinal Room
• March 30, 1:30, Rogers Room
• April 27, 1:30, Rogers Room