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

1. Athletics in the Small College: Who’s on First? 2013 HLC Annual Meeting Chicago, Illinois

2. Session Overview • Setting the Context • Session Origins • Foundations of Excellence • Profiles from Our Co-Facilitators • To Set the Stage • Discussion Questions / Prompts

3. About Session Sponsor • 501c3 • Located in Brevard, NC • Provides the HLC recommended Quality Initiative process, Foundations of Excellence®(booth #219)

4. Session Context • How and why did we get here? • Outgrowth of HLC session on The First Year in Small and Rural Institutions

5. Setting the 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

6. 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

7. Dr. Levester “LJ” Johnson Vice President for Student Affairs Butler University @levesterjohnson ljohnson@butler.edu

8. “The Butler Way” “We Not Me” Humility Know who we are, strengths and weaknessesPassion Do not be lukewarm, commit to excellenceUnity Do not divide our house, team firstServanthood Make teammates better, lead by givingThankfulness Learn from every circumstance

9. Enrollment Growth Fall 2009 Freshmen Applications 6246 Freshmen Enrollment 945 Undergraduate Full Time Enrollment 4016 Fall 2011 Freshmen Applications 9518 Freshmen Enrollment 926 Undergraduate Full Time Enrollment 4034 Fall 2010 Freshmen Applications 6760 Freshmen Enrollment 1049 Undergraduate Full Time Enrollment 4051 Fall 2012 Freshmen Applications 9682 Freshmen Enrollment 1101 Undergraduate Full Time Enrollment 4173

10. Balancing Institutional Mission with Strategic Plan 5,000 students The Butler Way

11. Marietta College Athletics at Marietta College The Student Athlete Experience

12. 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

13. 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.

14. 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

15. 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.  

16. 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%

17. Mason City, Iowa Lyn Brodersen, Ph.D. Vice President, Academic and Student Affairs

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

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

22. Janet L. BlandMcCoy 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 Contact Information