An examination of division I athletic-academic support services facilities and staffing

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study examined athlete academic support services in NCAA Division I schools across three broad areas: 1) program scope and budget, 2) program leadership and staffing, and 3) program facilities and equipment. A secondary purpose was to examine differences in these programs and facilities based upon football status amongst three categories including Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), and non-football Division I schools (NFS). A 48-item survey was developed with expert input to explore academic support programs and facilities. A total of 100 academic support program directors completed the online survey, including 29 FBS, 36 FCS, and 35 NFS institutions dispersed among 31 athletic conferences. Descriptive data for the Division I schools for 21 key variables were determined for the whole sample. Additional ANOVA results identified 18 areas of significant difference based upon football classification regarding athletic-academic support facilities and their leadership, staffing, budget, and facilities.