University of Oklahoma Athletics
Compliance Corner: February 2013
February 28, 2013 | Athletics
Feb. 28, 2013
Since becoming president of the NCAA in 2010, Mark Emmert has set a course of dramatic change for the organization. Some of the changes have been met with membership resistance, but the intention is to move intercollegiate athletics forward and provide maximum opportunities for student-athletes. On January 19, 2013, the NCAA adopted 25 proposals that took more than a year to draft by the Rules Working Group; one of the groups established by Emmert to affect change in the NCAA's policies and procedures. These ambitious reforms were intended to simplify NCAA regulations and decrease the size of the NCAA Manual.
Proposal 2-1 changes the landscape of college athletics. The NCAA has long supported The Principal of Competitive Equity. This principle attempted to ensure a level playing field for all member institutions. However, 2-1 changes this principle to the philosophy of “fairness of competition.” This paradigm shift is intended to end the philosophy of “level playing field” and instead focus on the core values of amateur athletics and student-athletes.
“We are not going to overcome those natural competitive advantages people have, but when student-athletes step onto the field they know the other team's got the same number of players, the same number of coaches, and the same number of scholarships,” Emmert said. The change “acknowledges that variability will exist among the members in advantages, including facilities, geographic location and resources and that such variability should not be justification for future legislation.”
This change in principle allows those institutions with the financial resources to place an emphasis on their core values, permitting discretion in decision making and autonomy in management styles for the benefit of student-athletes.
At Oklahoma, one of our core values is “passion for excellence.” With the adoption of 2-1, this passion will no longer be limited by restrictive regulations, enabling great growth in the near future. It is essential that Sooner supporters understand their importance in supporting our “passion for excellence.”
As always, your cooperation and understanding is essential to the success of our programs. We hope you find this information helpful, and as always, please contact the Athletics Compliance Department at (405) 325-7004 with any questions. We appreciate your support of OU Athletics and your help in ensuring we operate within NCAA rules and regulations.
Related Links: OU Compliance Online
