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Message from Council of Presidents Chair |
Dear Colleagues:
 The NAIA celebrated its commitment to character-driven intercollegiate athletics at our recent annual national convention. Louisville hospitality was exceptional and I hope many more presidents will join us next year in Kansas City. Convention events, especially the meeting of the Council of Presidents and the Presidents Forum, allowed for an exchange of ideas and opinions on opportunities to develop further the NAIA's niche in the dynamic collegiate athletics landscape. Threaded throughout our conversations was the importance of presidential leadership, especially at the conference level.
Increased presidential involvement will lead to more effective planning and governance for the future of our association. You may be aware that the NAIA is holding conversations with the NCAA to determine ways the two organizations can work together for the mutual benefit of intercollegiate athletics and our student-athletes. These discussions present a new platform for presidents to educate our colleagues and campuses about the NAIA and the unique niche it occupies.
A call to action. On behalf of the NAIA and Council of Presidents, I encourage you to serve as an advocate for the Association at the institutional, conference and national levels. Collective advocacy is an essential component of the strategic plan and is an invaluable asset that clearly builds on the NAIA's image and brand. What can you do?
Review the NAIA Presidential Talking Points (click here). Be conversant with the benefits of NAIA membership: increased opportunities for postseason play, the best value in college sports, membership service, commitment to develop the whole person, uncompromised standards and exceptional championship experiences. The NAIA is defined by its Champions of Character program and is the philosophy by which it operates. Our seven new institutional members confirm that Champions of Character is an important reason they have joined the NAIA.
If you have the opportunity to be in Kansas City area, I encourage you to visit the national headquarters and meet the staff. You will be impressed with the beautiful new offices and the quality of professionals serving our association. I hope you share my pride in NAIA membership and I invite you to join me in creating new opportunities to advance character-driven intercollegiate athletics.
Sincerely,
Richard B. Artman
President, Viterbo University
Chair, NAIA Council of Presidents |
| From the COP |
With nearly all of its 35 members in attendance, the Council of Presidents tackled an ambitious agenda during the Louisville convention.
New quality standards for NAIA members will be delivered to the council this fall. President Tom Trebon's Committee on Presidential Leadership tested draft standards regarding presidential involvement in conference matters, including requirements for an active Council of Presidents in each conference, and required paid professional conference administrators.
At the request of University of Sioux Falls President Mark Benedetto, the council directed that a task force appointed by the COP study NAIA football championship site selection, funding and reimbursement.
In addressing two 2008 legislative proposals opposed by the COP - one permitting a fifth season of competition to NAIA student-athletes, the other establishing age limits on NAIA eligibility - council members led efforts to withdraw the proposals this year and charge task forces with developing legislation on both topics for the 2009 NAIA Convention.
Click here for a complete summary of the 2008 NAIA Convention. |
| Message from NAIA President and CEO |
You may have seen the May 9 Chronicle of Higher Education article titled "2 Big Athletics Associations Consider Joining Forces to Help Colleges Save Money." The author, Brad Wolverton, describes ongoing conversations between the NAIA and NCAA. As leaders of this  association, it is important for you to understand this dialogue and why we should continue the conversation.
During the past few years, the NAIA has undergone a dramatic period of change, redefining its purpose with a dynamic new strategic plan, relocating its headquarters and reaffirming its national role in intercollegiate athletics. Rather than defining ourselves by what we are not (i.e. comparison with the NCAA) we have defined ourselves with confidence. At the same time, we recognize that the NCAA and its considerable resources affect the public's perception of intercollegiate athletics. NCAA growth, particularly at the Division III level, has impacted NAIA membership.
The NAIA staff has purposefully and in a sustained way engaged the NCAA in conversations about common issues and opportunities for mutual benefit. These conversations have helped the NCAA gain a better understanding of the unique character of the NAIA and the NAIA to better understand the issues facing the NCAA, particularly in regard to membership in NCAA Divisions II and III.
The result has been a sustained, meaningful and important dialogue between the NCAA and NAIA on a range of issues of mutual concern. Those conversations began at the senior staff level (including Myles Brand and me) and, in recent months, have extended to include several presidents from each association.
In April, the COP voted unanimously to continue conversations between NAIA and NCAA college presidents that explore future partnership opportunities and mutual benefits. While there are neither structural models under consideration nor any proposals on the table that define any particular alliances or organizational changes, we do believe there is an opportunity now to advance our trust and understanding of issues facing our two organizations and a willingness to explore new paths to partnerships that will be in the long term best interests of student-athletes and our intercollegiate athletics programs. The Executive Committee of the COP will oversee this process and provide appropriate reports to the COP and membership as conversations continue.
If you have any questions or comments related to this topic or others, please call (816-595-8105) or email (jcarr@naia.org) at any time. Your feedback is critical as we continue to explore ways to improve the NAIA and to advance character-driven intercollegiate athletics!
Jim Carr
President and CEO
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics | |
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The NAIA Champions of Character program is designed to instill an understanding of character values in sport, and provide students-athletes, coaches and parents the training to help them know and do the right things, inside and outside the sports setting. The program is dedicated to the principle that character is a choice and that being a champion is not just about winning, but making good decisions consistently in daily life.
The mission of Champions of Character is to restore character values and raise a generation of students who understand and demonstrate in everyday decisions respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship.
Many companies, individuals and organizations support the program's mission and impact. Recently the NAIA received donations or grants from the following: Buffalo Funds, AT&T, the Sprint Foundation, Royals Charities, Rawlings and Copaken, White & Blitt.
ON DECK
Champions of Character July Workshop at
Georgetown College
The NAIA will host a Champions of Character workshop for NAIA members at Georgetown College (Ky.) July 17-18. NAIA Champions of Character special presenter Bruce Brown will lead the workshop. For more information and to sign-up please contact Kathy Busch at kbusch@naia.org or 816-595-8101.
NAIA Champions of Character Day at The K
The NAIA and the Kansas City Royals join forces on September 4th for NAIA Champions of Character Day at The K. A grand slam celebration at Kauffman Stadium for character education is planned as Royals Charities recognize the NAIA's commitment to character-driven athletics. | |
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