Leadership

Why?  The athletics program exists for its educational impact on the growth and development of student-athletes.  Yet, in many athletics programs, the pressure on coaches to win or, at the high school level, to demonstrate that their athletes receive college athletics scholarships, creates incentives for these goals to take precedence over the educator’s “duty of care” responsibilities.  Thus, the athletics director must keep in touch with student-athlete issues and challenges.  A formally constructed and regularly meeting Student-Athlete Advisory Council should be the c

Note:  The following material is excerpted from a pre-publication manuscript:   Lopiano, D.A. and Zotos, C. (Publication 2014) The Athletic Director’s Desk Reference. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

There is a tendency for athletics departments to place stringent restrictions on the use of social media by student-athletes.  On one hand, social media use should not be used to violate athletics department or institutional policies on such standard subjects as sexual harassment, bullying, respectful conduct,  or conformance with NCAA or governance association rules.  On the other hand, every student-athlete and staff member has a right to free speech.  Thus, the athletics department should consider utilizing educational efforts as its primary mechanism to encourage res

STUDENT-ATHLETE NAME____________________________________SPORT______________________

I understand that a fulfilling educational sport experience requires the exercise of responsibilities on the part of both personnel associated with the athletics program and student-athletes.  As a student-athlete, I understand my responsibility to commit to the principles of self-discipline, collaborative effort and team building, and to be an ambassador for the institution.

Academic Standards

A:   Never underestimate the leadership power of the athletics director (AD).  The AD should consider establishing all of the following practices to encourage diversity in hiring, recruiting and retention:

A:   In higher education, an athletics policy board, usually named the Intercollegiate Athletics Council, consisting of faculty, administrators and alumni from outside the athletics department is often a governance association requirement.  Even if it isn’t, having an objective, majority faculty oversight board in place to annually review key diversity performance indicators and to be involved and invested in the achievement of diversity objectives is very beneficial.  Consideration should be given to establishing a goal for this group to be 40-60% minority (female and n

ANSWER:  Athletic Director leadership is everything when it comes to encouragement of minority recruiting.  Require the hiring supervisor for any open position to identify the top female and minority prospects regionally and nationally for that position and to personally call or visit those prospects to urge them to apply.  Waiting for “paper candidates” is simply not good enough when supply does not meet demand.  The process for developing a top recruiting list is as  simple as developing a scholarship prospect list – you must identify the talent.&

by Donna Lopiano, Ph.D., President, Sports Management Resources

1.    Completed staff work is the study of a problem and the presentation of a solution by a staff member, in such form that all that remains to be done on the part of the head of the staff division is to indicate his or her approval or disapproval of the completed action. 

A:  YES.   Such agreement simply attests to their receipt and understanding of department policy and acknowledges their understanding that violations of this policy may result in sanction or termination of employment.  Following is a sample Code of Conduct Agreement.

SAMPLE COACH CODE OF CONDUCT AGREEMENT

Coach Name:  ______________________Title/Sport: _________________Date: __________________

A:  The Athletic Director should  be responsible for establishing a fair process for handling student-athlete or parent complaints related to the instructional ability or behavior of a coach that is consistent with standard procedures for handling employee conflicts or performance issues but also includes: