Intercollegiate athletics occupies a unique place in higher education, but little is known about administrators working in this area. This chapter proposes a functional definition of "mid-level" in the context of college sports, describes the prevalence of these jobs nationally, and summarizes key factors associated with mid-level…

There is an uneasy relationship between fundraising for academic programs and intercollegiate athletics. This has little to do with individuals and almost everything to do with circumstances in higher education in the United States that have come into play in recent decades. This chapter identifies issues presidents will confront as they seek…

Little empirical research exists in terms of how colleges and universities create their institutional image and brand. In this chapter, the author explores the notion of branding within the context of higher education--and how intercollegiate athletics contributes to it--analyzing the messages universities conveyed during nationally televised bowl…

The infrastructure, both physical and human, devoted to intercollegiate athletics at the largest U.S. universities is more comprehensive and impressive than the Olympic training facilities of most countries. More challenging is determining the extent of the significant investment that these institutions make in their sports programs. Many…

Since their inception, intercollegiate athletics have engendered controversy and stimulated debate. Supporters assert that "college sports are significant in defining the essence of the American college and university", suggesting that benefits associated with athletics include more increased fundraising, positive public perceptions of graduates,…

Whether intercollegiate athletics influence outside perceptions of institutional reputation and educational quality--and whether this translates into improvements in recruiting students and donors--is disputed in the research literature. Researchers have typically attempted to correlate success on the field or court with variables such as…

Many commentators have noted that growing commercialization of college sports has made it increasingly difficult for universities to reconcile the gap between college sports and the fundamental mission of higher education. This article considers those individuals who choose to be a student athlete in good faith, and suggests strategies that can be…

The athletic conference in which a university or college competes has meaning that extends beyond the playing field. Institutions generally desire to compete against others that are similar to them in profile, including their approach to athletics, as well as being in the same geographic region. The commonalities between and among institutions in…

In announcing establishment of a football program within its National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I athletic program in 2012 or 2013, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) offered a rationale different from what many would expect (Perimutt, 2008). The UNCC chancellor noted that neither generating revenue nor…

There is extensive research literature addressing the impact that the college experience has on students, linking the campus environment to their persistence and graduation, satisfaction, sense of community, academic and social integration, and academic performance. Researchers have yet to fully address the connection between students identifying…

Universities have long struggled with balancing their core instruction, research, and service missions with the win-at-all-costs mentality of spectator sports. Indeed, much has been written about the athletics-academic debate. Unfortunately, the athletics-academic debate often masks the complexity of characterizing athletics programs as either…

Over the past decade, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has become increasingly concerned about the educational experience of student athletes, beyond enforcement of eligibility rules and regulations. Perhaps this growing interest is in response to public criticism of the poor performance--and even misconduct--associated with the…

The significant increase in televised intercollegiate athletics over the past couple of decades presents institutions with a set of powerful opportunities to reach external constituents in ways that translate into donations and applications. Given the broad reach of television and its power in developing a university or college as a brand, it may…

Research about student athletes contends that participation enhances both learning and character development, including leadership, interpersonal skills, social self-esteem, discipline, personal health, motivation, dedication, and life lessons. Other research expresses concern about the cognitive outcomes of student athletes relative to…

In her first month in office, a president learns of charges of racial discrimination in the university's intercollegiate athletic program to which she must respond at the same time as she is learning her way around campus and establishing herself in the community.