Request to Add or Elevate an Intercollegiate Program

1. Any requests made by, or on the behalf of, a student, student organization, club program or group of students representative of Wayne State College for a sport or program to be considered for sponsorship as an intercollegiate varsity sport will be submitted to the Director of Athletics (AD).A request is defined as any formal or informal inquiry submitted to a Wayne State College administrator, coach and/or staff member, either in writing or verbally, seeking the process for a sport or program to be considered for intercollegiate status.All requests will be submitted to the AD within fourteen (14) calendar days.

1. When a formal/written request is submitted for consideration, the AD will contact the student, group of students, organization, etc. making the request to obtain the following information, if not included in the initial submission:
   • Specifics as to what is being requested (i.e. elevation of a current program to intercollegiate status, addition of a new intercollegiate sport, etc.).
   • Number of students supporting the request.
   • Justification for submitted request.
2.  When an informal/verbal request is submitted to a Wayne State College administrator, coach and/or staff member they should attempt to ascertain as much information as possible.
   • Name and contact information of the student, group of students, organization, etc. making the request.
   • Specifics to what is being requested (i.e. elevation of a current program to intercollegiate status, addition of a new intercollegiate sport, etc.).
   • Number of students supporting the request.
   • Justification for submitted request.
     
     The request, and all accompanying information, will then be forwarded to the AD. The AD will contact the student, group of students, organization, etc. making the request to obtain any other pertinent information. 

2. The AD will then share the request and information with a review committee comprised of the Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) and the Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator (SWA). If the FAR is unable to serve on the review committee a faculty member designee may be appointed by the FAR (with first priority given to a faculty member serving on the Athletic Advisory Committee). 

This review committee will clarify the specifics of the submitted request with the following institutional data and criteria:

• Most current assessment of Interest and Abilities survey data.
• Current inventory of institutionally sponsored intercollegiate sports.
• Current inventory of institutionally sponsored intramural and club programming.
• Established list of intercollegiate varsity programs not currently sponsored by Wayne State College, but previously identified as potentially viable per the existence of varsity competition at the NCAA Division II level within the institution’s normal competitive region. Wayne State College’s normal competitive region shall be considered a five state area comprising the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NE, IA, MN, SD and ND).  
• Participation rates of students in interscholastic sports from areas the College draws a majority of its enrollment.
• Any other assessment or observation information made by coaches or staff during tryouts and/or participation in intramural/club programming. 

If necessary, the committee will conduct and interview with the student, group of students, organization, etc. making the request to obtain any other pertinent information. The College’s staff member in charge of intramural and club programming may be contacted as a part of the review process.

3. The AD, FAR and SWA will make a recommendation for a proposed plan for the best method to accommodate the interests of the submitted request to the Athletic Advisory Committee (AAC) for review and feedback within ninety (90) days of receiving the program request. 

This plan will include the required funding, staffing and other allocated resources needed to support the recommended programming. If it is determined there is not significant interest in supporting the submitted request this finding will be submitted to the AAC for review. Along with the information supporting this finding will come forth a recommendation of “No Action Required (NAR).” This will be a recommendation not to move forward with the requested program change based on lack of significant interest and abilities justification. 

If it is determined there is significant interest supporting the request the proposed plan will include any of the following accommodations: elevation of a current club/intramural sport to intercollegiate status, creation of a new club/intramural program, elevation of a current club program to elevated club status.The AAC will be given all information obtained through the request review process.

Since the members of the review committee actively serve on the AAC they may be part of the review process to guide discussion and answer questions for other members of the AAC.

4. After consideration of the submitted plan or NAR recommendation the AAC will either:

• Endorse plan OR the NAR recommendation as submitted;
• or provide questions, feedback and/or recommendations for the review committee (AD, FAR and SWA) to address within the submitted plan OR the NAR recommendation. If necessary, the submittal will be vetted and edited for further review by the AAC.

If the AAC supports the NAR recommendation this decision will be reported to the President for final approval along with all pertinent information and findings. This decision will also be communicated to the representatives submitting the request along with all pertinent information and findings.

If the AAC supports the submitted plan it will be forwarded onto the President for review and final approval within sixty (60) days of the review committee’s initial recommendation plan.Plans including initiatives requesting significant funding, staffing or resources may require further approval form the Nebraska State College System Board.A final implementation timeline will also be decided per the President of Wayne State College. The finalized decision and timeline will be communicated to the representatives submitting the request along with all pertinent information and findings.

If the AAC does not support the NAR recommendation, after further feedback has been submitted from the review committee (per 4.b. above), a report will be sent to the President consisting of:

• All pertinent information and findings from the review process.
• A justification statement from the review committee supporting the NAR recommendation.
• A justification statement from the AAC supporting their difference in opinion with the review committee.

The President may convene a joint meeting between the review committee and the AAC to discuss the review. The President will render the final decision whether to support or not support the NAR recommendation. If the President supports the NAR recommendation, the decision will be communicated to the representatives submitting the request along with all pertinent information and findings. If the President supports the AAC’s decision, the review committee will develop a plan to address the program request. This plan will go back through the initial AAC review process for review and final approval as stated above. 

5. Wayne State College will create and implement an online questionnaire and submission form to assist with identifying and collecting program requests.

This procedure and submission form will be posted in multiple locations on the Wayne State College website and directly emailed to all faculty, staff and students annually at the beginning of the academic year.