Loyola is currently reviewing the athletics department, and it could possibly land its teams in the NCAA.
The university has hired Andrew Fellingham and Cynthia Linhart of the Inter-Collegiate Athletic Consulting Group to evaluate the athletics program and point it in the best direction for the university as a whole.
The potential benefits for Loyola joining the NCAA are widely spread, Fellingham said. It could give Loyola a greater national presence and would likely raise sports merchandising. Being a part of the NCAA would also help bring in prospective students who want to attend universities with an NCAA ranking.
On Oct. 5, Fellingham spoke at a Student Government Association senate meeting and explained the process. He said the main goal right now is to figure out the current state of the university’s athletics.
“We are going to look at different areas of the department and see where they stand. We will be able to determine what is best for Loyola — it could be to stay in your current conference or it may be to move on to the NCAA,” Fellingham said.
Fellingham and Linhart held several focus groups and interviews with students, university officials and student athletes.
Chris Joseph, political science senior and men’s basketball player, participated in the evaluation.
“We talked about our facility, coaches, game management and atmosphere around the campus,” Joseph said.
Fellingham and Linhart also interviewed Michael Falotico, SGA director of student resources and music industry sophomore.
“I told them that what our campus lacks most is game spirit. I went to a high school where going to the game was the thing to do on Friday nights. Even if you weren’t big on sports, games were social events. I didn’t notice how much I enjoyed that until I came to college and it was gone,” Falotico said.
The consulting group is also reviewing the athletic department’s finances. Currently, it is funded through student fees. Fellingham said this is atypical for a private university. He said it might be beneficial for the entire university if these finances were restructured.
This does not mean that students would pay less, he said. It is likely in this case that student fees would lower, but tuition would rise to make up for it.
At the senate meeting, men’s basketball player and international business sophomore Roco Gandara said he was concerned about athletic scholarships.
“If we switched conferences and our scholarships were changed, half of our team wouldn’t be able to attend school here anymore,” he said.
Fellingham said this would not occur for several years, so it would not have an effect on the current team.
Athletic scholarships also play a role in the consultation. According to the NCAA website, athletic scholarships for undergraduate student athletes at Division I and Division II schools are partially funded through the NCAA membership revenue distribution. Division III schools offer only academic scholarships. At this point in time, it is uncertain what this means for the scholarships of Loyola athletes.
Fellingham said that he is spending a lot of time with student athletics to understand their core values, because student athletes can be greatly affected through a change in conference.
Michael Morin, SGA president and music education senior, said he is glad the university is evaluating the athletics department and is curious to see the results.
“It would be very cool for Loyola to join a conference like the NCAA, but I don’t know what it would mean for student athletes,” Morin said. “Probably a lot more traveling, very vigorous routines and frequent health checks.”
Despite the possibility of strict athlete requirements, Joseph, the senior basketball player, said he is in favor of the NCAA.
“This would be a great experience for Loyola athletics and our team. It will motivate us as a team to compete harder during practice and make our fellow classmates proud as we play other NCAA teams. I would be proud that my future alma mater would join the NCAA,” he said.
Another consideration in this process is improving the overall image of the university. Fellingham presented Boston College as an example of an institution whose image was radically changed after switching conferences to gain a greater national presence.
Economics junior Bridget Kratz said she thinks the NCAA could improve the national recognition of university.
“We’re a small school and I think participation in the NCAA would really put our name out there,” Kratz said.
She also said she remembers many of her high school classmates looking for universities in specific divisions of the NCAA.
“If it’s an important factor in choosing a college, we might bring in more prospective students,” she said.
The consultation process is still in its early stages. Results are expected in June 2012, at which point the university will begin considering changes.
Haley Humiston can be reached at [email protected]
