| Philosophy Statement | Organizational Structure | Historical Background | Competition and Sport Sponsorship |
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The University Athletic Association
serves as a bold statement of what college athletics can and should
be - that it is highly desirable and possible for a group of committed
institutions to conduct a broad-based program of intercollegiate
athletics for men and women; to compete with like academic institutions
spread over geographically expansive areas; and to seek excellence
in athletics while maintaining a perspective which holds the student-athlete
and the academic mission of the institution as the center of focus.
The UAA is a significant expression of the principle that
the provision of a high-quality college athletic experience is
worth the commitment required of an institution. It is worthwhile
not only because it benefits the student-athletes, but also because
it benefits the entire campus community and, in turn, the institution
itself. Perhaps more importantly, the UAA is a strong statement
that the success of intercollegiate athletics is wholly dependent
upon institutional integrity and the ability of institutions to
complete the full integration of athletics into the academic fabric
of higher education.
Members of the UAA share the belief that academic excellence
and athletic excellence are not mutually exclusive. Implicit in
this belief are several sets of assumptions. The first is that
the academic enterprise is the primary element. Student-athletes
are just that - students first and athletes second.
The second set of assumptions has to do with athletic excellence.
Athletic excellence is not to be confused with a win-at-all-costs
attitude. It properly relates to the caliber of experience offered
to students who participate in intercollegiate athletics. Athletic
teams should have the benefit of qualified coaching - capable
individuals chosen for professional competence and commitment
to putting the welfare of the student first. They should play
and practice in first-rate facilities at reasonable times. Their
equipment should be safe, of high quality, and conducive to the
best performance possible. A consistent and challenging level
of athletic competition should be provided to both women and men.
The final assumptions concern what might be termed a proper athletic emphasis. Athletic programs are extracurricular activities conducted for students and should be given consideration similar to that accorded other such institutionally sponsored activities. They should not only complement the academic experience, but should also reflect the quality of the academic environment within which they exist. Division III is an approach to athletics - not a synonym for third-rate. The University Athletic Association sponsors competition in 22 sports - twelve sports for men and ten sports for women - including football, soccer, cross country, volleyball, basketball, fencing, wrestling, swimming and diving, indoor track and field, baseball, softball, outdoor track and field, tennis, and golf.
Many student-athletes from UAA institutions have been recognized for their achievements as scholars and athletes. During the 2003-04 academic year, twenty student-athletes from UAA institutions were recognized as College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-Americans ®, 84 received All-America honors in team or individual sports, and ten were individual national champions or national players of the year.
In addition, seven student-athletes from UAA institutions were among the select group of seniors across the country named NCAA Postgraduate Scholars. Teams throughout the UAA are perennial contenders for post-season play. In 2003-04, UAA teams were selected or qualified to compete in NCAA championship competition in baseball, softball and volleyball, as well as men's and women's championships in basketball, cross country, soccer, tennis, and track & field. UAA schools captured national chamionships in women's tennis and volleyball, finished as runner-up in women's soccer and volleyball, and placed third in women's basketball. In all, 16 UAA teams posted top ten finishes in their national championships, and 15 others finished in the top twenty.
The following statement of philosophy outlined the conceptual framework of the University Athletic Association at the time of its formation in June of 1986 and remains the cornerstone of its mission today.
"For some time, there has been a growing concern among
many college administrators over the direction of college athletics.
There is a need for a collective public statement as to what college
athletics can be - indeed, what college athletics is in the majority
of colleges and universities today. The institutions of the University
Athletic Association (UAA) believe the time has
come to make the strongest possible statement that intercollegiate
athletics have a proper role in our colleges and universities,
that this role must subsume the athletic enterprise to the academic
missions of institutions of higher education and that standards
of moral and ethical behavior in the conduct of intercollegiate
athletics must be unequivocally articulated and followed. By their
association, the institutions of the UAA are committed
to act in concert to reaffirm these beliefs.
The nine members of the UAA are Brandeis University ·
Boston; Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh; Case Western
Reserve University · Cleveland; Emory University ·
Atlanta; Johns Hopkins University · Baltimore; New York
University; the University of Chicago; the University of Rochester;
and Washington University in St. Louis.
The participants in this association are private, research institutions
in major metropolitan areas, who are committed to the NCAA Division
III philosophy. They are similar institutions in many ways. They
are research universities with several undergraduate programs
and divisions as well as graduate and professional programs. Their
academic programs are among the best in the country. Their undergraduate
populations are also similar.
Although these institutions do not share a common history or saga,
they do share a somewhat similar pattern in their historical development.
In their beginnings, they rose from unique educational missions
peculiar in many ways to the needs of their local metropolitan
areas and founding constituencies. During their early years, they
developed reputations in their regions as respected institutions,
and more recently, they have gained greater national prominence.
Over the last few years, these schools have also shown a greater
commitment to raising the quality of undergraduate life on the
campuses to a level comparable to the quality of the academic
experiences available to their students.
UAA members also share the belief that academic excellence
and athletic excellence are not mutually exclusive. Implicit in
this belief are several sets of assumptions. The first is that
the academic enterprise is the primary element. Student-athletes
are just that - students first and athletes second. In practice,
this means that institutions will not admit athletes with standards
separate from the standards for the aggregate pool of applicants.
Similarly, institutional policies regarding financial aid, academic
progress, student services and the like for athletes will be reflective
of policies for all students.
The second set of assumptions has to do with athletic excellence.
Athletic excellence is not to be confused with a win-at-all-costs
attitude, but properly relates to the caliber of experience offered
to students who participate in intercollegiate athletics. Athletic
teams should have the benefit of qualified coaching - capable
individuals chosen for professional competence and commitment
to putting the welfare of the student first. They should play
and practice in first-rate facilities at reasonable times. Their
equipment should be safe, of high quality, and conducive to the
best performance possible. A consistent and challenging level
of athletic competition should be provided for both men and women.
The final assumptions concern what might be termed a proper athletic
emphasis. Athletic programs are not considered income centers,
nor are they public entertainment. They are extracurricular activities
for students and should be given consideration similar to other
such institutionally sponsored activities. Their quality should
complement the academic experience. Their quality should reflect
the quality of the academic environment within which they exist.
Division III is an approach to athletics - not a synonym for third-rate.
The members of the University Athletic Association
believe that the UAA can become a focal point for improving
morale and a sense of community among students, faculty, staff,
alumni and others. The support directed to the student-athletes
in their endeavors, while central to this effort, can benefit
all students, particularly if one of its driving forces is the
desire to improve the quality of student life in all its aspects.
The University Athletic Association is a statement
of what college athletics can and should be. The provision of
a quality college athletic experience is worth the expense required
of an institution. It is worthwhile first because it benefits
the student-athletes, but also because it benefits the entire
campus community and, in turn, the institution itself. Further,
the success of college athletics is wholly dependent upon institutional
integrity and the ability of institutions to complete the full
integration athletics into the academic fabric of higher education."
The chief executive officers of the UAA member institutions
comprise the Presidents Council of the University Athletic
Association. This Council approves all recommended changes
to the Constitution and Bylaws; reviews and approves applications
for membership and all exemptions from membership requirements;
and must approve all actions of the other committees of the UAA.
In addition, the Council may refer matters for consideration or
propose legislation for enactment by the Delegates Committee.
The Delegates Committee consists of up to four representatives
from each member institution appointed by the chief executive
officers of their respective institutions. The UAA Constitution
states that at least half of the Delegates from each institution
shall clearly represent the academic leadership of their respective
institutions (i.e. faculty and academic administrators). The Delegates
Committee is the principle legislative body of the UAA.
The committee provides advice to the Presidents Council on policy
recommendations and is responsible for implementing policies and
directions adopted by the Presidents Council. It also reviews
proposed changes to the Constitution and Bylaws, applications
for membership, and exemptions from membership requirements and
makes recommendations to the Presidents Council regarding such.
Through its Executive Committee, the Delegates provide administrative
oversight regarding the day-to-day operation of the Association.
The Executive Committee makes appointments to other committees
of the Association, in particular, the Sport Committees. It also
receives recommendations from all committees, reviews such recommendations,
and presents them to the Delegates for action. The committee may
also propose legislation to be considered and enacted by the Delegates.
Between meetings of the Delegates Committee, the Executive Committee
conducts the business of the Association subject to review of
the membership of the Delegates Committee at subsequent meetings.
Membership of the Executive Committee includes the Chair and Vice
Chair of the Delegates Committee whose offices rotate among the
member institutions, a Secretary-Treasurer elected from among
the Delegates, an at-large member who must be a woman faculty
representative or woman administrator, and the Chair of the Athletic
Administrators Committee. The Executive Secretary represents the
Executive Committee in most of the day-to-day operations of the
Association, and reports to the Chair of the committee.
The Athletic Administrators Committee consists of up to three
athletic administrators appointed by each institution. These administrators
must represent both the men's and women's athletics programs of
their respective institutions. The chair of the committee rotates
among the member institutions. The committee coordinates the scheduling
and operation of athletic competition among UAA members;
prepares and submits to the NCAA for action those legislative
items recommended by the Delegates Committee and approved by the
Presidents Council; and makes recommendations to the Delegates
regarding proposed NCAA legislation which may be of interest to
the UAA.
The Administrators also review proposals of the Sport Committees
regarding policy matters concerning conduct of contests or championships.
In these cases all matters which affect either the student-athlete
or individual institutions are forwarded for consideration to
the Delegates through the Executive Committee.
The membership of the Sport Committees are appointed by the Executive
Committee upon recommendation from the participating member institutions
and include coaches and athletic administrators. They are responsible
for the conduct of Association festivals, round-robin play, play-offs,
tournaments, and championships under policies approved by the
Association. The committees maintain handbooks for the conduct
of competition and recommend playing conditions governing competition
to the Delegates through the Athletic Administrators and Executive
Committees. Sport Committees meet annually. In those sports which
conduct a festival or championship event, the Sport Committee
meetings take place during the festival or championship event.
Sport Committees for sports which conduct regular season round-robin
competition meet in conjunction with national meetings of their
respective coaching associations or on one of the campuses of
the participating members. Sport Committees may also meet by conference
call when necessary or more convenient.
The Athletic Trainers Committee comprises the head athletic trainers
of the member institutions. The committee meets annually at the
athletic trainers' national convention. The Athletic Trainers
Committee makes recommendations to the Athletic Administrators
regarding athletic training and medical safeguard issues related
to athletic competition within the Association.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee comprises two student-athletes,
one male and one female, appointed by their respective member
institutions. This committee makes recommendations to the Delegates
Committee regarding student-athlete welfare issues as they relate
to competition within the Association. This group also reviews
proposed NCAA legislation and makes recommendations regarding
those proposals.
The Athletic Administrators Committee meets formally twice
each year. They meet in conjunction with the national conventions
of the NCAA and the National Association of College Directors
of Athletics. The Athletic Administrators also meet on an as-needed
basis in conjunction with the meetings of the Delegates Committee.
The Delegates Committee meets at least once annually with the
Annual Meeting taking place in the fall. The Delegates have also
met in the spring as necessary. Meeting sites generally rotate
among the member campuses, but may also include off-campus sites.
The Executive Committee convenes at least twice annually, including
meetings one day prior to each Delegates Committee meeting. The
Presidents Council meets twice annually. At present, the Council
meets in conjunction with the fall and spring meetings of the
American Association of Universities to which all UAA members
belong.
Change in institutions is often the product of circumstance.
It is, more often than not, the opportune joining of problems,
solutions, resources, and decision-makers at some coincidental
point in time. It might be said that such a combination of factors
worked to support the formation of the University Athletic
Association.
During the early 1980's, several small to medium sized research
universities began to examine the direction of their athletics
programs as well as the relationship of athletics to the whole
of their respective institutions. From time to time, administrators
and student affairs staff of the schools shared their concerns
informally with each other and found significant common ground
among their institutions. The commonality of their concerns and
the possibilities that might be realized through a collective
effort among institutions suggested exploration of some type of
formal association.
At one point, athletic administrators from several institutions
met to discuss the possibility of an athletic conference with
competition in selected sports, however, no formal arrangements
resulted from those discussions. At the same time several institutions
began to develop working agreements among themselves for rotating
sponsorship of a series of four-team basketball tournaments.
As these informal relationships were beginning to evolve, one
college administrator began to visualize the potential that might
be realized by the formal association of a group of these academic
institutions. Harry Kisker, Vice Provost and Dean of Students
at Washington University in St. Louis, took it upon himself to
visit several college campuses and share his vision of an athletic
association of Division III institutions of similar academic stature
and mission. During his visits he spoke with chief executive officers,
student affairs administrators, and athletic administrators. His
efforts were not without results.
In the fall of 1984, William Danforth and Dennis O'Brien began
talking in earnest of starting a national Division III intercollegiate
athletic association based on academic similarities instead of
athletic comparisons. Danforth, the chancellor of Washington University
in St. Louis, and O'Brien, the president of the University of
Rochester, were attending a convention of the American Association
of Universities, a 56-member national group of research universities.
Their discussions during that fall meeting were a precursor to
a larger effort.
During the summer of 1985, Dennis O'Brien invited the chief executive
officers of several major research universities located in prominent
metropolitan areas to a meeting on the University of Rochester
campus to explore the possibilities of some sort of university
athletic association. A group including presidents, chancellors,
vice-presidents, deans, faculty, and administrators met at Rochester
in October. A philosophical rationale for an athletic association
of such institutions was discussed, along with various models
of competition which might be pursued, and the financial implications
of each. The result of this meeting was an agreement among those
in attendance to pursue the discussions on their respective campuses
and meet again in February at Washington University in St. Louis.
At the meeting in St. Louis, the participating institutions agreed
upon a general model of competition and a first draft of a constitution
and bylaws. The results were returned to the individual campuses
for approval and final commitment.
On June 25, 1986, the formal announcement of the formation of
the University Athletic Association was made simultaneously
at press conferences at the New York Hilton Hotel and on the respective
campuses of the member institutions. Participating in the announcement
were Carnegie Mellon University, Case Western Reserve University,
Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University,
the University of Chicago, the University of Rochester, and Washington
University in St. Louis.
The first official meeting of delegates from each institution
was held in the Jay Berwanger Trophy Room at the University of
Chicago in September of 1986. During 1986, work on the constitution
and bylaws was completed, an administrative plan developed, and
athletic schedules drawn for 1987-88 and 1988-89. In May of 1987,
Brandeis University, a participant in the original discussions
and planning efforts, joined the UAA becoming the ninth
member of the Association. In July, the Association opened a central
office with the hiring of Richard A. Rasmussen as its full-time
Executive Secretary. The office was housed initially in Spurrier
Gymnasium on the River Campus of the University of Rochester.
During the summer of 1988, it was moved to its present location
on the second floor of the Ellwanger and Barry Building on the
Mount Hope campus of the University of Rochester.
In the fall of 1987, the University Athletic Association applied
for and was granted voting membership in the National Collegiate
Athletic Association. Representatives of the UAA institutions
gathered in Rochester on September 25 for a special luncheon celebrating
the inauguration of formal competition among member institutions.
The featured speaker at the program was Dick Schultz, the newly-appointed
Executive Director of the NCAA. In his remarks, Mr. Schultz congratulated
the membership of the UAA, and praised the efforts of the
members of the Association in creating a new and exciting model
of what intercollegiate athletic competition can be.
Although some informal competition began among members of the
UAA in 1986-87, championship competition did not begin
until 1987-88. That first year of championship competition was
a year of transition as institutions moved to schedule as much
UAA competition as possible while continuing to honor previous
scheduling commitments in soccer, football, and basketball. In
1988-89, championship competition was conducted in 21 sports including
a complete round robin in soccer and a double round robin in basketball.
In 1990-91, a football schedule was completed, and in 1994-95
women's softball was also added as a championship sport. The UAA
sponsors championships in 12 men's sports and 10 women's sports.
The members of the UAA have made a conscientious effort
to develop a model of athletic competition that emphasizes good
sportsmanship and an equality of opportunity among all teams and
all sports. At UAA championships, competitors can often
be found cheering for their opponents as well as their teammates,
encouraging everyone to perform to their maximum potential. Men's
and women's teams travel together and play a combined schedule
of contests. Championship events combine both men's and women's
competition, alternating men's and women's events or matches at
the same site. Institutions also provide opportunities for competing
teams to get together informally in a social setting outside of
competition at each athletic event, and teams often take advantage
of the cultural and sightseeing opportunities of their host cities.
The University Athletic Association sponsors
competition in 22 sports including 12 sports for men and 10 sports
for women. The UAA Bylaws require member institutions to
participate in at least one round-robin sport each for men and
women, and three festival sports each for men and women. This
has allowed members of the UAA to maintain many of their
long-standing and highly-valued local and regional rivalries while
enjoying the benefits of competition among members of the Association.
Most members participate in UAA competition in the full
complement of sports for which they sponsor teams.
Regular-season round-robin competition is sponsored in five sports
including football, men's and women's soccer, and men's and women's
basketball. The men's and women's basketball teams of the UAA
have been granted an automatic qualification berth in their respective
NCAA Division III national championships. Men's and women's teams
travel together and play a combined schedule in both soccer and
basketball. Round robin tournaments are sponsored in six sports
including volleyball, wrestling, baseball, and softball.
Competition in volleyball includes two mid-season round-robin
weekends and an end-of-season championship tournament. The baseball
and softball championships are held in Florida in conjunction
with the spring break trips scheduled by the participating teams.
Championship tournaments or meets are conducted in nine sports
including men's and women's cross country, men's and women's swimming
and diving, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and
women's outdoor track and field, and golf. Men's and women's championships
are held simultaneously alternating men's and women's events at
the same site.
Association team champions are determined in all sports. All-Association
teams are also selected in all sports, and most sports also determine
a player of the year or most outstanding performer and a rookie
of the year. The Association also selects UAA male and
female Athletes of the Week in all sports.