2.1 Athletic Department Academic Procedures
2.2 Class Attendance/Athlete Academic Engagement Reports
2.3 General Admission Process
2.4 Required Mailings to Student-Athletes
2.5 Student Right to Know Graduation Rates
2.6 Dropping Classes
2.7 Summer School
2.8 Faculty Athletic Representative
2.1 Athletic Department Academic Procedures
- The academic success of all student-athletes is a priority at Davis & Elkins College and is the first pillar in the Athletic Department Mission Statement. Thus, academic progress is monitored closely. Once final grades have been posted for a semester, the FAR and AADC will review all SA grades as provided from the Office of the Registrar. They will identify SAs that meet either of the following conditions:
- Below a 2.5 cumulative GPA
- Earned 12 or less credit hours in a semester
The FAR, Head Coach and AADC will, when possible, meet with each SA identified. If they are unable to meet in person they will conference call the SA. The purpose of the meeting is to:
- Provide the SA with resources available on campus to assist them in achieving academic success
- Identify areas in which the SA needs more support
- Remind the SA of NCAA, College and team policies regarding academic success and progress towards degree
- Student-athletes who are considered academically high-risk are expected to:
- Meet with their professors during their office hours or via e-mail to review academic progress and utilize available resources
- Share this information accurately and in a timely fashion with the FAR, AADC and Head Coach
- Coaches may communicate directly with faculty regarding a student-athlete’s progress. Faculty should be willing to notify coaches of potential classroom issues that will keep a student-athlete from being eligible. But the predominant and overall responsibility falls on the student-athlete as they make academic progress towards graduation and fulfill their responsibilities to their teammates and coaches.
- Instructors are expected to:
- Record student-athlete attendance in accordance with Davis & Elkins policy and procedures
- Identify in their course syllabi procedures for handling absences consistent with College, School and Program requirements
- The Office of the Registrar will review each athlete’s degree program evaluation at the beginning of each semester to ensure that classes taken will meet Progress Toward Degree (PTD) and are per program requirements.
- Each student-athlete will sign a form giving the Faculty Athletics Representative, Director of Athletics, Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance, and the Registrar of Davis & Elkins College, under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, permission to release academic information to qualify for all academic awards.
- Student-athletes may register for their varsity sport as (1) credit hour which will be awarded at the end of their season and the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance will submit completion to the Office of the Registrar for credit.
- Chi Alpha Sigma was established to recognize college student-athletes who excel both on and off the field of competition. The goal is to provide outstanding student-athletes with an opportunity to become connected within a fraternal association that aligns their educational and athletic successes for a lifetime.
Chi Alpha Sigma's purposes are as follow:
- To encourage and reward high academic scholarship of college athletes at four-year accredited colleges and universities
- To recognize outstanding academic achievement by intercollegiate varsity letter winners
- To encourage good citizenship, moral character and friendship among the high academic achievers in college athletics
- To recognize and honor the individual athlete, his/her team, sport, athletic department, and college or university
- To mentor and to provide leadership to other athletes
The West Virginia Gamma Chapter of Chi Alpha Sigma recognizes college students who receive a varsity letter in their sport while maintaining a 3.5 or higher cumulative GPA throughout their junior and/or senior years. Selection for membership is based on outstanding scholarship, earned athletic letter winner, and excellent character and citizenship. The WV Gamma Chapter Advisor is our Faculty Athletic Representative, Dr. Jennifer Riggleman.
Each Spring, eligible junior student-athletes are inducted and provided with a certificate of membership. Senior student-athletes are provided with an honor cord signifying their membership to wear during the commencement events.Back to the Top
2.2 Class Attendance/Athlete Academic Engagement Reports
The athletic department recognizes and supports the overall mission of the college and understands academic responsibilities are the highest priority for Student-Athletes.
Per NCAA Regulation:
17.01.1 Institutional Limitations. A member institution shall limit its organized practice activities, the length of its playing season and the number of its regular-season contests and/or dates of competition in all sports, as well as the extent of its participation in non-collegiate-sponsored athletic activities, to minimize interference with the academic programs of its student-athletes (see Figure 17-1 and Figure 17-2 of NCAA Division II Manual).
Student-Athletes are expected to:
- Attend all classes unless excused for competition.
- Attend entire class period and should not leave early or miss class for practice sessions, the training room or any non-championship segment athletic event.
- Develop a respectful and professional relationship with their instructors to allow for free and honest communication with the student-athlete.
- Notify their instructor(s) of absences caused by competition participation in advance (when permissible, postseason or make-up events) at least (2) class periods ahead of upcoming absence. Any emails sent to instructors need to include the Faculty Athletic Representative and head coach.
- Fulfill their responsibilities within their classes (completing all class assignments and exams on time) as a part of their responsibilities towards their teammates and coaches.
- Student-athletes should carefully monitor their own personal academic progress in all classes to ensure timely graduation and athletic eligibility.
- All student-athletes will have their academic progress checked via Athlete Academic Engagement reports sent out to each instructor after the first four weeks of each semester. These reports will be reviewed by the Faculty Athletic Representative, Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance, Director of Athletics and the Head Coach
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2.3 General Admission Process
Standards for admissions to academic programs and retention of students shall apply equally to all persons whether athletes or non-athletes. Davis & Elkins College admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, disability, national, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship, and loan programs, athletic, and other school- administered programs.
For complete information on admission processes visit:
http://www.dewv.edu/future-students/explore
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2.4 Required Mailings to Student-Athletes
- Initial Eligibility Standards (The NCAA Division II Initial Eligibility Center will provide this information to prospective student-athletes (PSA))
- Banned Drug Information about Nutritional Supplemental (The NCAA Division II Initial Eligibility Center will provide this info to the PSA)
- APR/GSR Information (NCAA Division II calls it the Academic Success Rate Report)
- Graduation Reports
- Organized Competition Legislation
Links to this information have been provided through the NCAA Eligibility Center, Front Rush, or directly from the Assistant AD for Compliance.
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2.5 Student Right to Know Graduation Rates
Graduation rates are based on the IPEDS-GRS which is defined as a six-year proportion of those student-athletes who graduated versus those who entered an institution on institutional aid. In addition to the student-athlete data in the graduation-rates data, the GSR accounts for student-athletes who transfer into an institution while discounting student-athletes who separate from the institution and would have been academically eligible to compete had they returned. The Academic Success Rate (ASR) also includes fresh- men who did not receive athletics aid, but did participate in athletics. All member institutions are required to report graduation rates for their student body; those institutions offering athletics aid are required to report for their student-athletes. Data or the graduation rates/GSR/ASR will be collected each spring.
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2.6 Dropping Classes
Prior Approval from the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance, and the student-athlete’s Academic Advisor is required to drop a course.
Dropping a Course
A student-athlete may not drop a class merely by ceasing to attend. Dropping a class could result in the reduction of already awarded financial aid and an increase in the student-athlete account balance and affect their eligibility to compete in their sport.
Withdrawal from a Course
Student-athletes may withdraw from any course during the Withdraw period. A grade of W will appear on the transcript. After the Withdraw period, no withdrawal from a course will be permitted. Student-athletes who cease attending after the withdrawal date will receive a grade of F in that course. A student-athlete who never attends or stops attending a course for which they are officially registered, without following the accepted procedures, will receive a grade of F in that course. A student-athlete who wishes to initiate withdrawal from a course after the deadline may do so by filing a petition to present a serious and compelling reason for withdrawal to the Office of the Registrar. Approval for such a withdrawal will be granted only in extreme cases where extenuating circumstances are evident and can be substantiated. Failing or performing poorly in a class, and dissatisfaction with the subject matter, class or instructor is not acceptable serious and compelling reasons for late withdrawal. Withdrawing from a course could result in the reduction of already awarded financial aid and an increase in the student-athlete account balance and affect their eligibility to compete in their sport.
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2.7 Summer School
Prior Written Approval is required from the Office of the Registrar
Student-athletes may take summer courses at Davis & Elkins College, or any certified collegiate institution. Prior approval from the Office of the Registrar is required prior to registering for the summer class(es) to ensure the class will count as progress toward degree and per the degree guide, as well as eligibility to compete in their sport. All student-athletes are to enroll for summer school at Davis & Elkins College within the dates stated in the Davis & Elkins College catalog. Student-athletes are responsible for having all transcripts for summer school that is attended elsewhere to be sent to Davis & Elkins College immediately upon completion of the course.
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2.8 Faculty Athletic Representative
The Faculty Athletic Representative is a member of the faculty at Davis & Elkins College. He or she has been designated by the institution to serve as a liaison between the institution and the athletic department, and also as a representative of the institution in conference and NCAA affairs. All issues directly related to athletic conflicts with faculty and athletically related academic issues should be directed to the Faculty Athletic Representative. According to one of the Faculty Athletic Representative Association’s Guiding Principles, the role of the FAR is: "... to ensure that the academic institution establishes and maintains the appropriate balance between academics and intercollegiate athletics."
Please contact:
Dr. Jennifer Riggleman
Instructor of Physical Education
Faculty Athletic Representative
Office: HCC 2nd Floor
Phone: 304-637-1383
Email: rigglemanj@dewv.edu
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