Abstract
The structure of big-time intercollegiate athletics has evolved significantly since its inception in the late 19th century. Changes have included the establishment of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), competition rules, academic eligibility standards, amateurism bylaws, and exorbitant revenues and salaries for athletic departments and their respective staffs. One prominent group that has been vocal against the increased commercialization of intercollegiate athletics are faculty. Although, previous research has examined the establishment of faculty-led reform groups, there is a dearth of scholarly literature on faculty perceptions of institutional morphing at the exo- and meso-levels. As such, the purpose of this study was to engage in a multidimensional exploration of faculty perceptions of organizational change at a Division I big-time institution. A phenomenological case study approach including in-depth individual interviews with faculty members offered rich insights into the complexity of and challenges associated with organizational change including both benefits and detriments. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
Highlights
The structure of big-time intercollegiate athletics has evolved significantly since its inception in the late 19th century
The data shared in the findings were extracted from a larger phenomenological case study conducted on the athletic-academic dynamic at Blue Ridge University (BRU)
The building of expensive and elaborate new facilities versus lack of renovating academic buildings, high-salaried coaching staff versus lower-salaried faculty, and the lack of knowing what is occurring in athletics contributes to the current perception that BRU prioritizes athletics over academics
Summary
The structure of big-time intercollegiate athletics has evolved significantly since its inception in the late 19th century. It was during the late twentieth century when faculty reform groups such as The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics (KCIA; established in 1989), The Drake Group (TDG; established in 1999), and The Coalition of Intercollegiate Athletics (COIA; established in 2002) were founded (Cooper et al, 2017; Sack, 2009) Each of these organizations offered distinct reform recommendations, but a common theme across all three was the criticism of the growing commercialization of intercollegiate athletics and the comprising academic integrity of institutions of higher education as a result of these changes. The current study incorporated a phenomenological case study approach to better understand how faculty at a big-time college sports institution perceived organizational change over time
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