NCAA Life/Work Balance Initiatives

At the January 2007 NCAA Convention in Orlando, the Executive Committee received the report of the Life and Work Balance Task Force. The Executive Committee created its own working group on the issue, chaired by Dr. Carol Cartwright, President Emeritus of Kent State University, and including the following NCAA members and staff:

Ann Millner, President of Weber State University

Eddie Moore, President of Virginia State University

Sidney Ribeau, President of Bowling Green State University

Paul Trible, President of Christopher Newport University

Steve Weber, President of San Diego State University

Bernard Franklin, NCAA senior vice president for governance, membership, education, and research

Delise O?Meally, NCAA director of governance, membership, education, and research

Karen Morrison, NCAA director of education services

David Klossner, NCAA director of education services

This working group adopted the following directives:

? Philosophy. The NCAA is committed to supporting an inclusive culture that fosters opportunities for growth, development and well-being. In this spirit, creating institutional environments that value the attraction and retention of a competent and diverse athletics staff will require a cultural shift from what has become a 24/7, 365-day athletics commitment. The Association supports the concept of institutional autonomy and recognizes the responsibility of each institution to address these issues at the campus level. The Association also acknowledges that there are a variety of reasons that cause people to choose or leave a career in athletics. Policies which allow individuals the flexibility and support to make choices about their life?s priorities while meeting their work obligations will help ensure that athletics staff are productive, satisfied, successful, and healthy members of the NCAA community.

? Directive. Guided by this philosophy, and with the oversight of the Executive Committee?s Life and Work Balance Working Group, the Association charges its membership to examine legislative options that are division-specific as well as Association-wide. The membership and the national office are also charged to engage in dialogue and education about opportunities that allow athletics staff to make choices about their life priorities; and institutions to develop best practices and policies that support their most valuable asset?their people.

The working group noted that best practices would be useful for the Association to gain an understanding of the topic and its implications for athletics staff as individuals voluntarily develop policy on member campuses. Education initiatives involving the conference leadership and the faculty athletics representatives were noted as paramount for success. The working group supported framing the issue for open conversations through the development of a handbook, Web casts and small focus group feedback. The working group recommended holding an Association-wide educational session on the topic of Life and Work Balance at the 2008 NCAA Convention, which would be scheduled for Friday, January 11, 2008. The working group will continue to review divisional work and recommendations, as well as the development of educational resources for the membership in the near future.