May 5, 2003

 

TO: Kathy Reed

University Governance

 

FROM: John A. Ferraro, Ph.D.

Chairperson, KUAC Board of Directors

 

This letter and its attachments represent the 2002 -2003 report of the Board of Directors of the KU Athletic Corporation (KUAC). This report is based on the charges submitted to the Board in September, 2002 by the Senate Executive Committee (SenEx).

 

KUAC Board members for AY 2002 -2003 were: John Ferraro (Chair), Tom Mulinazzi (Vice Chair), Jessica Bankston (Secretary), Theresa Klinkenberg (Treasurer), Don Green (Faculty Representative to the NCAA), Allen Bohl, Kyle Browning, Jack Clevenger, Jerry Coh1mia, Kate Harding, Mary Lee Hummert, Mike Maddox, Renate Mai-Dalton, Janelle Martin, Jonathan Ng, Gil Reich, Gale Sayers, Don Steeples, Bill Tuttle, Susan Williams, and Ted Wilson.

 

Board Committee Chairs for A Y 2002 -2003 were: Tom Mulinazzi (Academic Sub- Committee), Susan Williams (Finance Sub-Committee), and Ted Wilson (planning Sub- Committee).

 

A total of 18 SenEx charges were presented to the Board (12 Standing, 6 Additional). Charges 1 -8 and 13 -18 were addressed by the Academic Sub-Committee of the Board. A report from this Sub-Committee is attached.

 

Charges 9 -12

 

9. Monitor the KUAC ticket distribution and pricing policy, as well as related problems with respect to students, staff, faculty, and retirees, especially with the pending reseating in the Fieldhouse.

 

At its last meeting of the year (May 2, 2003), the KUAC Board, per the recommendation of the Finance Committee, approved a plan for "tiered" pricing of seating in the

 


Fieldhouse. This plan will begin in the 2003 -2004 season and involves higher prices for seats identified in the "gold"($35/game) and "light blue" ($32/game) sections of the Fieldhouse (see attached seating map). The price for seats in the "dark blue" (student) section will remain unchanged for next year.

 

10. Monitor the improvement and development of athletic facilities in regard to their effects on students, faculty, staff, and retirees.

 

The KUAC Board is pleased to announce that the new Anderson Family Weight Center is now open for use by student-athletes and coaches. The Center is a state-of-the-art facility that includes new weight-lifting equipment as well as several conference rooms for faculty/student meetings.

 

11. Monitor the use of student fee generated funds to women's and non-revenue generating sports.

 

Attached is a five year history of the University of Kansas Athletic Corporation Student Fee Usage.

(contact University Governance for a copy)

 

12. Submit to SenEx

a. the approved minutes from each KUAC Board meeting

b. recommendations for actions as they are approved by the committee c. a final report by April 1.

 

Items a. and b. are attached to this report. The Board apologizes for not submitting this report by April 1.

 

 

 

2002-2003 KUAC Academic Committee Report

 

Membership

Jessica Bankston, Don Green, Mary Lee Hummert, Ton Mulinazzi, Bill Tuttle,  Paul Buskirk, KUAC staff

 

Standing Charges

 

  1. The committee monitored the academic screening practices, academic performances, and progress made by student athletes. The committee is very satisfied with the work in the Student Support Services office. (Charge 1)

 

  1. The Spring 2002 and the Fall 2002 grades were received from Paul Buskirk. Our student athletes are doing well. 280 student athletes were honored as Jayhawk scholars for achieving a 3.0 grade point average during the spring 2002 or fall 2002 semester. Thirty-seven student athletes had a perfect 4.0 GPA one or both of these semesters. Attached is a news release on the Jayhawk Scholars, the fall grades by individual sports, and the graduation rates for the 1996 freshman cohort by sports and the 1993-1996 graduation percentage for the four year cohort from 1993-1996, which is charge three to the committee. (Charges 2 and 3)

 

 

 

A KUAC Honors Committee was established this semester. Jerry Waugh, Jessica Bankston, Wayne Walden, Mary Lee Hummert and Tom Mulinazzi were selected for this committee. The committee met on April 22 to select the outstanding male and female senior scholar athletes and the male and female recipients of the Big XII graduate school awards.

 

  1. The committee met with Paul Buskirk on three occasions over the year to oversee his operation of the Student Support Services. Mike Hock left during the year. The committee feels strongly that his line be kept in the Student Support area so that either a replacement can be hired or the Center for Research on Learning can be used to assist in the retention of student athletes. (Charges 4 and 5)

 

  1. The committee was satisfied with the compliance of the 10 days absence policy and the drug testing practices. (Charges 6 and 7)

 

  1. The committee tried to meet with Janelle Martin, but was unable to because of illness and scheduling. Individuals on the academic committee talked with Janelle through the year. The committee wants to emphasize that the athletics department is understaffed in the compliance area, which is a critical position. (Charge 8)

 

Additional Charges

 

  1. Charge 13 -monitor the Athletics Director's approach to maintaining a balance between academics and athletics. Dr. Bohl didn't do anything wrong, but there were not the same "feelings" toward academics as there had been in the past.  It is important that the new Athletics Director, when selected, be monitored in this area.

 

  1. Charge 14 -Explore the possibility of including a classified staff representative and an unclassified, non-teaching staff representative on the KUAC Board. This issue was discussed and denied for now. It should be noted that a change in the KUAC By-laws would be required to conform to this request.

 

  1. Charge 17 -Suggest a new name for the women's and non-revenue sports fee. The "Olympic" sports fee was recommended and approved by the KUAC Board.

 

  1. Charge 18 -Consider increasing the student membership on the KUAC Board. Jonathan Ng, the 2002-2003 Student Body President, recommended that the Student Body President appoint two students to the KUAC Board and that the Student Body President be an ex-officio, non-voting member of the KUAC Board. This recommendation would require a change in the KUAC By-laws, and was deferred for additional discussion next year.

 

New Initiative for 2003

 

A steering committee, chaired by Dean Diana Carlin, was established this year to mentor certain sports. Softball, football, swimming and baseball were selected. A group of faculty has met with each team in a variety of ways, including dinners, team meetings, advising sessions, and group game playing to develop relationships between the student athletes and faculty members.