Mission

Vision

Core Values

Diversity - We respect others and value diversity of opinions, freedom of expression, and other ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Integrity - We are committed to the principles of truth and honesty, and we will be equitable, ethical, and professional.

Service - We believe that serving others is a noble and worthy endeavor.

Intellectual Freedom - We believe in ethical and scholarly questioning in an environment that respects the rights of all to freely pursue knowledge.

Excellence - We seek excellence in all our endeavors, and we are committed to continuous improvement.

Stewardship of Resources - We are dedicated to the efficient and effective use of resources. We accept the responsibility of the public’s trust and are accountable for our actions.

Goals, Critical Success Factors, Objectives, and Strategies

Goal One: Learner Success- Provide effective services that enhance the learning environment and encourage student success of student-athletes.

Critical Success Factors:

• Graduation rate of 60% as defined by the National Collegiate Athletic Association
• Graduation rate to 80% for student-athletes exhausting eligibility
• 10% of student-athletes above a 2.5 cumulative grade-point-average
• 90% of student-athletes above a 2.0 cumulative grade-point-average
• Individual team cumulative grade-point-average 2.5 or higher

Objectives:

• Increase number of professional staff to serve student-athletes.
• Provide enrichment opportunities for staff and student-athletes.
• Increase and enhance services provided to student-athletes.

• Communicate regularly with Faculty and Athletic Councils.
• Review policies and programs that impair academic success.

• Recognize all student-athletes who have achieved academic success.
• Nominate as many student-athletes as are qualified for local, regional, and national academic awards.
• Establish a system to assure press releases are provided for each student athlete receiving an academic award.
• Continue to improve the Academic Awards Banquet.

• Establish study skills programs for student-athletes deficient in academics.
• Provide adequate testing to determine placement and required accommodations.
• Establish collaborative effort with Student Disability Services.
• Provide an intense reading improvement program.
• Communicate with faculty concerning student-athletes progress in class.
• Provide timely feedback to student-athletes regarding academic progress.

• Provide timely feedback to coaches regarding academic progress of individual student-athlete progress.
• Provide schedules and academic plans to coaches at the beginning of each semester.
• Communicate with coaches each week.
• Identify contact person for each sport.

• Send grade report request to faculty three times each semester.
• Arrange weekly meetings with at-risk student-athletes.
• Maintain tracking system.

• Provide an annual awards banquet.
• Increase the number of nominees for academic awards.
• Create a book listing all academic scholarships available to student-athletes.

• Develop an orientation class for transfer students.
• Develop an orientation class for freshmen.
• Cooperate with University Counseling Services to provide seminars addressing the transition to college.

• Create an admission and registration checklist.

• Increase the number of qualified facilitators.
• Develop an orientation program for facilitators.
• Establish an electronic system of communication with facilitators.

• Obtain a grant to work with at-risk students in improving reading skills.
• Search for outside funding to enhance additional learning programs.
• Increase compensation for staff.

Goal Two: Diversity- Increase geographic and cultural awareness while establishing an appreciation for diversity as a model for life in the global community.

Critical Success Factors:

• Conduct two multicultural workshops each year
• Expose all incoming freshmen to one seminar that addresses diversity
• Create cultural resources center
• Create an outreach program to the college community

Objectives:

• Work closely with Multicultural Affairs and Women’s Studies to involve student-athletes in campus cultural activities.
• Increase number of activities that increase opportunities for cross-cultural involvement.

• Teach a class on cultural sensitivity.
• Provide a section in Life Skills class that teaches cultural awareness.
• Offer a seminar on cultural awareness.

• Introduce international students to domestic students upon arrival to the university.
• Provide social activity for international students that is arranged by domestic student-athletes.

• Student-athletes will enroll in at least one course that exposes them to different disciplines.

• Student-athletes will be provided a list of activities that encourage involvement of diverse populations on campus.
• Student-athletes will attend an event sponsored through Multicultural Affairs.

Goal Three: Academic Excellence-Uphold high academic standards by providing opportunities for students to excel in their chosen field.

Critical Success Factors:

• 200 student-athletes on the Commissioner's Honor Roll each semester
• 90 student-athletes earn Academic All Big 12 honors each semester
• 1 student-athlete selected for the NCAA Leadership Conference
• 1 student-athlete, per team, selected Academic All American
• 4 students eligible to compete for the NCAA post-graduate scholarship
• 6 athletic teams designated All Academic Team

Objectives:

• Create chart to show previous honors earned so student-athletes are aware of academic awards earned the previous year.
• Establish recognition for each award earned.

• Provide guidance and support to those students seeking academic honors.
• Identify awards and honors available to all student-athletes.
• Create a guide book to earning academic honors.

• Provide salary scales to show students choosing more rigorous academic programs.
• Encourage students to visit with academic departments regarding career choices.

• Encourage development of leadership qualities through leadership seminars.
• Create competition among student-athletes for the National Collegiate Athletic Association national leadership conference.
• Identify potential leaders among the student-athletes and encourage students to take a leadership role.

• Continue to hire quality tutors and facilitators.
• Establish policies that encourage integrity.
• Create a system that allows “safe harbor” for those who report academic misconduct and dishonesty.
• Maintain an environment that promotes high academic integrity.

• Immediately address any issues that are presented by tutors.
• Carefully screen transcripts of tutors.
• Alert all tutors to policies and procedures in place that ensure academic integrity.

• Increase number of computers available in Academic Enhancement Center.
• Improve technology in reading laboratory.
• Obtain video equipment for foreign language laboratory.

Goal Four: Cooperation and Collaboration-Build an environment that fosters effective communication, cooperative collaboration, and efficient coordination among academic units as they relate to student-athletes.

Critical Success Factors:

• Monthly meetings with academic officials and athletic administration
• Annual meetings with college advisors
• Daily communication with Office of Compliance
• Comprehensive and efficient athletic certification program
• Electronic certification process
• Participation in recruiting of prospective student-athletes
• Responsiveness to athletic staff with regard to academic issues
• Use on-campus academic resources

Objectives:

• Maintain weekly communication with Athletic Director regarding academic progress and certification issues of student-athletes.
• Meet weekly with coaches to communicate progress of respective teams.
• Encourage communication with athletic trainers and weight training staff to coordinate timely schedules for student-athletes.

• Encourage certification officer to communicate National Collegiate Athletic Association rules to each college.
• Refer certification questions immediately to certifying officer when requested.

• Inform faculty, when possible, of class absences.
• Keep faculty informed of National Collegiate Athletic Association rules and regulations.
• Serve on faculty committees, as requested.
• Take all opportunities to educate faculty regarding conflicts between athletics and academics.
• Respond promptly to any faculty inquiries.

• Refer student-athletes to on-campus centers.
• Produce pamphlets that make student-athletes aware of on-campus resources.

• Conduct annual seminar for academic units regarding student-athletes.
• Continue to communicate with faculty and staff about academic concerns and/or progress of student-athletes.
• Provide consistent communication been academic advisors and Academic Services for Student-Athletes.

• Have each staff member attend at least one seminar or conference that applies to development in one’s area of employment.
• Hold an annual retreat for staff members.

Goal Five: Image Enhancement/Pride and Recognition-Increase opportunities to establish traditions, promote pride and enhance the image of Oklahoma State University student-athletes.

Critical Success Factors:

• Enhance publicity for outstanding academic achievement of student-athletes
• Establish a budget, goals, objectives and activities for Student-Athlete Advisory Council
• Increase news articles written about positive activities in which student-athletes participate.
• Enhance the Academic Awards Banquet

Objectives:

• Inform the Office of Sports Information of any academic awards; honors, or achievements that are newsworthy.
• Utilize the web site of Academic Services for Student-Athletes to promote academic success.
• Create hometown press releases for students who excel in the classroom.
• Encourage state and local newspapers to write positive articles regarding academic success.

• Notify local news media and college newspaper of events in which student-athletes contribute to the community.
• Recognize community involvement of student-athletes at the annual academic recognition banquet.

• Create better communication between the council and other student-athletes.
• Encourage coaches to announce activities of the council.
• Create activities in which all student-athletes can be involved under the leadership of the council.

• Encourage community organizations to request student-athletes to speak at meetings.
• Submit news articles about contributions from student-athletes to community organizations.

• Continue to enhance and improve the Academic Awards Recognition Banquet.

Goal Six: Outreach and Service-Provide a comprehensive life skills program that provides educational and service programs beneficial to the student-athletes and to the community.

Critical Success Factors:

• Develop and obtain a budget for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Life Skills program
• Create space for a career resources collaborative project with University Career Services
• Create a monthly speaker series on topics addressed in the Life Skills curriculum

Objectives:

• Initiate a weekly study skills program for at-risk students.
• Provide seminars and Life Skills activities.
• Invite motivational speakers.

• Coordinate schedules with athletic personnel involved in community work to assure participation of student-athletes in community affairs.
• Incorporate a session in Life Skills that shows the benefits of becoming involved in community work.

• Invite faculty to conduct academic success seminars.
• Encourage student-athletes to access available resources on campus.

• Strengthen community service opportunities.
• Establish a community service award.
• Develop new community outreach programs.

• Collaborate with Career Services to develop a career development program.
• Improve the existing Career Services.
• Establish an expanded Career Resources Center.
• Establish a network for employment searcher.

• Utilize campus resources and provide presentations and informational sessions regarding a balanced lifestyle.
• Develop a survey that inquires about needs of student-athletes.
• Provide adequate counseling and support.
• Strengthen existing Life Skills programs.