The Faculty Academic Oversight Committee for Intercollegiate Athletics has responsibility for eligibility, compliance, and other issues relating to academic integrity of participants in the programs. This committee will work closely with the Provost, who as head of academic affairs is the senior administrative officer in charge of academic counseling programs for athletes. All policies formulated by the Faculty Academic Oversight Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics will be reported to the Faculty Consultative Committee for action and to the Faculty Senate for information after the Faculty Consultative Committee has acted. The Faculty Senate has the authority to reverse or modify a decision by the Faculty Consultative Committee.

The voting membership of this committee consists of six (6) members of the tenured faculty, plus the two (2) Faculty Representatives and the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Athletics. Since the purpose of this committee is to ensure that students who choose to participate in athletics have a full opportunity to pursue and complete their University studies, the primary qualification for appointment to this committee is a commitment to teaching students, rather than a special interest in athletics.

After consultation with the President, all members shall be nominated by the Faculty Committee on Committees with the approval of the Twin Cities Faculty Delegation.

The Faculty Committee on Committees designates the chair of the committee.

The Director of Academic Counseling, the Director of Academic Support Resources, and the Director of Compliance are ex officio members, without vote. The committee will hold at least one meeting each semester without the presence of the ex officio members.

The committee will consult regularly with the Director of Athletics and will meet at least once each semester to discuss programs and policies for ensuring academic performance and compliance with all standards. It will meet at least once each semester with the Director of Athletics to review the academic performance of the teams, the support given to academic performance by the department, coaches and teams, and to make recommendations in this regard.

The committee will meet regularly with the Provost or a representative of the Provost's office.

(A) In cooperation with the office of the Provost, the committee will oversee certification of the eligibility of students who participate in varsity athletics programs, in accordance with the standards of the NCAA and other external organizations.

(B) The committee will establish University academic standards for participation in varsity athletics, including minimum grade point average and progress toward degree. These standards must meet and may exceed the standards established by the NCAA and other external organizations and are in addition to the academic standards established by the college in which each student is enrolled. The committee will see that students are informed of these standards, are warned if they are not making reasonable progress, and are declared ineligible if they fail to meet them.

(C) With the assistance of the office of the Provost, the committee will conduct regular reviews of the grade average and progress of each student. It will also regularly evaluate the performance of each team in achieving the academic goals of student participants, and will advise the Director of Athletics concerning the performance of coaches in support of these goals. It will also advise the senior administrator responsible for athletics, the Provost, the President, and the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee regarding the support for academic achievement shown by each of the teams and department.

(D) The committee may establish scheduling standards limiting the days in any term that a student may be absent to participate in athletic events. It will review every schedule for conformity to these standards. In unusual cases, the committee may grant exceptions to that rule. All violations of these rules and all exceptions granted to them shall be reported immediately to the senior administrator responsible for athletics, the Provost, the President, and the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee.

(E) The committee will advise the Director of Academic Counseling regarding matters within the authority of that office.

(F) The committee will receive a report from the Director of Compliance at least once each semester regarding significant compliance concerns coming to the attention of that office. It will also refer any compliance matters that come to its attention to the Director of Compliance. It will report any concerns about compliance issues to the Director of Athletics, the senior administrator supervising compliance, the President, and the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee. It will advise the Director of Compliance regarding matters within the authority of that office.

(G) The committee (or a representative) will participate in searches for the Director of Athletics, Director of Academic Counseling and Director of Compliance, and in searches for major coaching positions, and in any periodic comprehensive performance review of these positions, paying particular attention to the qualifications of candidates in the fields of academic performance and compliance.

(H) The committee will advise and consult with the athletics department to ensure that those participating in or employed by the athletics programs observe required standards of compliance and academic integrity, and will make such reports and recommendations as may be necessary.

(I) The committee will advise the President and the faculty representatives regarding positions the University should take on proposed NCAA or other external rules relating to academic performance, eligibility, or compliance.

(J) The committee will perform such other functions as the Twin Cities Faculty Delegation may assign.

In evaluating individual or team records, the committee may act as a whole or by subcommittee.

Because the committee primarily considers matters that are private or personal data under the laws governing data privacy, its meetings are closed unless it otherwise directs.

The committee reports to the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee at least once each semester; this report may be in writing or in person by the Chair and an appropriate delegation.

At least once a year, the voting members of the committee will meet privately with the President to give their candid evaluation of the performance of the department and teams in achieving academic performance and rules compliance. The voting members of the committee may also at any time request a private meeting with the President and/or with the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee to discuss any matters of concern to them. The ex officio members shall not attend such meetings, unless requested to do so by vote of the committee.

The Senate Office will provide staff assistance for the committee. The Provost will, in consultation with the committee, provide adequate staff assistance drawn from the office of the Registrar, the advising offices of colleges, and other administrative offices and assist in the preparation, presentation and evaluation of student records. The athletics department and academic counseling and compliance offices will provide information requested by the committee.

No appointed member of the committee may accept any tickets, team travel, or other benefit or favor from the athletics department except as specifically authorized by the President and the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee.

The committee deals with eligibility and compliance issues established by the University and by the NCAA and external organizations. It does not review the decisions of coaches imposing sanctions on athletes for violating team rules.

1. FACULTY ATHLETICS REPRESENTATIVES

The Faculty Athletics Representatives will serve as the University's delegates to NCAA, Big 10, WCHA and other external organizations. The representatives also will perform certain functions prescribed in the rules of those organizations, in these by-laws, and as delegated by the President or the Twin Cities Faculty Delegation. The authority of the representatives does not displace any of the authority granted to the two committees above. The Faculty Athletic Representatives are appointed by the President in consultation with the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee. Before making an appointment the President will give an opportunity for interested faculty members to apply. The President will also solicit nominations from the Faculty Academic Oversight Committee and the Advisory Committee on Athletics.

A faculty athletics representative must be a member of the regular faculty who holds permanent tenure, and may not hold an administrative office higher than that of a department head or chair. The faculty athletics representatives will serve at the pleasure of the President for a three (3) year term. Normally, individuals will not serve more than six (6) consecutive years in this office, but the President may, with approval of the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee, reappoint an individual as faculty athletics representative for additional terms of up to three years. So long as the University has two faculty athletics representatives from the Twin Cities campus, every effort should be made to ensure that their terms are staggered.

The President, in consultation with the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee, after receiving the view of the Faculty Academic Oversight Committee and the Advisory Committee on Athletics, will determine the position the University will take regarding proposed changes in NCAA and other external rules. The faculty representatives will faithfully represent this position.

The Faculty Academic Oversight Committee has primary responsibility for all eligibility and compliance issues. If the rules of any external organization require a faculty representative to make a decision or recommendation on any matter relating to eligibility or compliance, the representative will first refer the matter to the Faculty Academic Oversight Committee and will faithfully carry out its recommendation.

The faculty athletics representatives will report to the Twin Cities Faculty Delegation annually in writing. They report to the Twin Cities members of the Faculty Consultative Committee orally and in writing at least once each semester.

2. COORDINATION OF OVERSIGHT

The Chairs of the Faculty Academic Oversight Committee and the Advisory Committee on Athletics and the faculty representative(s) will meet periodically with the President, the Provost, the senior administrator responsible for athletics, and the Chair of the Faculty Consultative Committee to coordinate their activities.