February 21, 2005

 

 

 

To:      Jim Isenberg

            Chair, Intercollegiate Athletics Committee

 

From:  W. Andrew Marcus

            President, University Senate

 

Re:       IAC review of COIA Document on Academic Integrity in Intercollegiate Athletics

 

I am writing this memo to formally request that the Intercollegiate Athletics Committee review the COIA document on Academic Integrity in Intercollegiate Athletics.  The intent of the review is to provide a report to the University Senate on the strengths and weaknesses of the document from the perspective of intercollegiate athletics at the University of Oregon.  The IAC’s report to the Senate will be on March 9.  Following the report and subsequent question and discussion session, the Senate will vote on whether or not to endorse the COIA document.  A draft of the motion may be seen at: http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~uosenate/dirsen045/US045-5.html. The draft motion may be slightly modified prior to the March 9 senate meeting.

 

As you know, both I and Nathan Tublitz have already requested that you bring this issue before the IAC.  The reason for my sending a formal request at this time is because the COIA document will not be finalized until February 22, the date on which all potential amendments have been voted on by member institutions.  The IAC should therefore be careful to evaluate the final document rather the initial version posted on the web in January.  The final version will be posted on the main COIA web page at: http://www.math.umd.edu/%7Ejmc/COIA/COIA-Home.html

 

With regard to the draft amendments, COIA requested that all votes on amendments be sent to COIA by February 22, 2005. After speaking with you and learning that the IAC could not review the amendments prior to February 22, I voted “no” on all the proposed amendments. My rationale for voting “no” was purely procedural.  I believe it is inappropriate for COIA to propose and act on amendments when university governance structures at member universities are not provided sufficient time to respond.  My hope is that representatives from other university senates will follow a similar course, thus allowing us to act on the document available

 

to us since January.  I will soon be drafting a letter to COIA requesting that they allow more time for deliberations in the future.

 

Please contact me if you have questions regarding the review process.  I look forward to the IAC report on March 9.

 

 

cc.        David Frohnmayer, President, University of Oregon

Peter Keyes, Vice President, University Senate

Bill Moos, Athletic Director

Kim Sheenhan, University Senate representative to the IAC

Gwen Steigelman, Secretary, University Senate

Nathan Tublitz, University Senate representative to the IAC

Dan Williams, Vice President for Administration