Athletics in the Small College: Who’s on First?

2013 HLC Annual Meeting

Chicago, Illinois

Session Overview

Setting the Context Session Origins Foundations of Excellence

Profiles from Our Co-Facilitators To Set the Stage

Discussion Questions / Prompts

About Session Sponsor

501c3

Located in Brevard, NC

Provides the HLC recommended Quality Initiative process, Foundations of Excellence® (booth #219)

How and why did we get here? Outgrowth of HLC session on The First Year

in Small and Rural Institutions

Session Context

Three institutions One community college Two private liberal arts institutions One Foundations of Excellence

participant One is the moderator’s alma mater All will:

Provide institutional profile Place athletics in institutional context Share some perspectives to get our

roundtable going

Setting the Context

Profiles from Our Co-Facilitators

Dr. Levester “LJ” JohnsonVice President for Student AffairsButler University

Dr. Janet L. BlandMcCoy Associate Professor of EnglishArts and Humanities Division CoordinatorAssistant Dean of AccreditationMarietta College

Dr. Lyn BrodersenVice President, Academic and Student AffairsNorth Iowa Area Community College

Dr. Levester “LJ” JohnsonVice President for Student Affairs

Butler University@levesterjohnson

ljohnson@butler.edu

“We Not Me”Humility

Know who we are, strengths and weaknessesPassion

Do not be lukewarm, commit to excellenceUnity

Do not divide our house, team first

Servanthood Make teammates better, lead by giving

Thankfulness Learn from every circumstance

“The Butler Way”

Enrollment Growth

Fall 2010Freshmen Applications 6760Freshmen Enrollment1049Undergraduate Full Time Enrollment 4051

Fall 2011Freshmen Applications 9518Freshmen Enrollment926Undergraduate Full Time Enrollment 4034

Fall 2012Freshmen Applications 9682Freshmen Enrollment1101Undergraduate Full Time Enrollment 4173

Fall 2009Freshmen Applications 6246Freshmen Enrollment945Undergraduate Full Time Enrollment4016

5,000

students

The Butler Way

Balancing Institutional Mission with Strategic Plan

Athletics at Marietta College

Marietta College

The Student Athlete Experience

Athletics Department Vision:Intercollegiate athletics will be an integral part of the education and personal

development of all students at Marietta College.

Athletics Department Mission Statement:Provide a source of pride and enthusiasm for Marietta College and the Marietta Community

by helping student-athletes strive for excellence in both athletics and academics while demonstrating good sportsmanship in competition at the highest level

of the OAC and NCAA Division

Athletics Department Objectives:

1. Promote and support student-athlete’s commitment to academic success.

2. Teach student-athletes beneficial life skills and attributes such as teamwork, collaboration, self-discipline, communication, negotiation, personal health and wellness through practice, competition, and professional development activities.

3. Demonstrate and expect the highest level of sportsmanship from athletes, coaches, parents, students, and spectators.

4. Work cooperatively with the Office of Admissions and academic departments to recruit well-qualified student athletes.

5. Promote and maintain Athletics staff unity and morale in a cooperative relationship with the entire College community.

6. Serve as positive role models while representing Marietta College.

7. Advance the College by coordinating fundraising activities with the Advancement Office.

8. Strive for all teams to achieve winning records.

18 Varsity Sports

Baseball. men's & women’s basketball men's & women’s cross country football men's & women’s rowing men's & women's soccer softball men's & women's tennis volleyball men's & women's indoor track/field men's & women's outdoor track/field

Institutional Snapshot

28-30% of the student body plays on varsity intercollegiate teams

400 of 1430, but that number fluctuates from year to year   We have approximately 500 roster spaces which means

aproximately100 two-sport athletes.  

Marietta College Athletics

Baseball – 6 National Championships Women’s Rowing – 3 NCAA appearances; ranked 6th in 2012 Men’s Basketball – 2013 OAC Champions Track and Field – 18 All Americans in the last five years Each semester 200 student athletes earn a 3.0 or better 2012 – finished 69th of 450 in the Director’s Cup, top 15%

Mason City, IowaLyn Brodersen, Ph.D.

Vice President, Academic and Student Affairs

Football at NIACC

• The football program was discontinued in Spring 2009

• Traditionally, the program brought 120 students to campus each fall

• Many of those students, obviously, did not make the team

Problems for Student Athletes

• Urban to rural transition• Academically unprepared• Limited academic support• No standards of academic progress • Residence hall issues• The frustration of being benched• A three-semester stay

Implications for College Culture

• Issues with football were swept under the rug—the program was “untouchable”

• No consequences for behavior• Coaches filled out their schedules as

admissions recruiters• Contributed to a culture of secrecy and

favoritism

And now it’s time for the audience participation part of the program!

Con

tact In

form

atio

n Janet L. Bland

McCoy Associate Professor of EnglishArts and Humanities Division CoordinatorAssistant Dean of AccreditationMarietta Collegejlb001@marietta.edu

Lyn BrodersenVice President, Academic and Student AffairsNorth Iowa Area Community CollegeBrodeLyn@niacc.edu

John N. GardnerPresidentJohn N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Educationgardner@jngi.org

Levester “LJ” JohnsonVice President for Student AffairsButler Universityljohnson@butler.edu