David A. Dosser, Jr., Ph.D.

Faculty Athletics Representative (50%)

Report of Activities

July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008

The following is a partial listing of activities:

Summer Session II 2007

· Served as teacher of record for the COAD 1000 class for academically at-risk freshman student-athletes participating in the Freshman Academic Success Training (FAST) program. The FAST program is designed to provide freshman students with academic skills and to ease the transition from high school to college. My involvement included attending classes, participating in discussions, presenting lectures, assisting in grading, and assigning grades. Ms. Jennifer Bonner from the Student Development Office organized the course and did most of the teaching.

· Continued the administration of the 2007-2008 NCAA Division I Coaches Certification Test to coaches in all sports. Coaches must pass this test to be eligible to recruit off-campus. Coaches may retake the test in 30 days if they do not pass. The test was administered during July and August with certification running until July 31 of the next year.

· Prepared an academic integrity report on the spring 2007 semester for the University Athletics Committee and the Faculty Senate.

· Met with all student-athletes (Over 400 in 16 squad meetings) during August 2007 to establish initial and continuing eligibility, to provide mandatory NCAA rules review, to review changes in academic requirements, and to emphasize the primacy of the educational mission of ECU.

· Worked with the Chancellor to fill vacancies on the Professional Sports Counseling Panel and to continue efforts to activate this important committee.

· Met with the C-USA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee July 7-8 at Rice University in Houston.

Fall Semester 2007

· Began work with the NCAA Academics, Eligibility, and Compliance (AEC) Cabinet by attending a meeting in Indianapolis on September 9-11, 2007. The AEC cabinet is one of the most important governing bodies of the NCAA. It deals with matters related to academics, eligibility, and compliance. I serve on the initial eligibility sub-committee, which hears all appeals of initial eligibility decisions. The appeals are heard via 4-5 conference calls per year.

· Attended the C-USA Fall Meeting on September 24-25, 2007 in Grapevine Texas. Met with conference faculty athletics representatives (FARs), Athletic Directors (ADs), and Senior Woman Administrators (SWAs).

· Attended three University Athletics Committee (UAC) Meetings (9/20/07, 10/18/07, and 11/15/07). Reported to this committee on issues associated with integrating athletics into the overall educational mission of the university. Assisted the committee chair in organizing and conducting the meetings.

· Served as a resource to the academic integrity subcommittee meeting following the September meeting of the UAC. The academic integrity subcommittee is composed of faculty members of the UAC. The subcommittee reviews the academic progress of each student-athlete each semester and works to ensure that academic integrity is maintained.

· Reported to the Faculty Senate on October 9, 2007 on academics and athletics at ECU. This report stressed the role that faculty members should play in the oversight of athletics, reviewed the academic success of student-athletes at ECU, and explained the key components of the academic reform plan of the NCAA.

· Wrote congratulatory emails to student-athletes who earned athletic or academic honors during this semester.

· Organized and chaired a meeting of the Professional Sports Counseling Panel with football seniors and their parents to discuss issues and concerns regarding compliance, the uniform athlete agent’s act, career planning after football, and financial planning. This meeting was in conjunction with Senior Day.

· Organized and chaired a meeting of the Professional Sports Counseling Panel with the baseball team and coaches to discuss issues and concerns regarding compliance, the uniform athlete agent’s act, career planning after baseball, and financial planning.

Spring Semester 2008

· Attended three University Athletics Committee (UAC) Meetings (1/17/08, 4/03/08, and 4/29/08). Reported to this committee on issues associated with integrating athletics into the overall educational mission of the university. Assisted the committee chair in organizing and conducting the meetings.

· Served as a resource to the academic integrity subcommittee meeting following the January meeting of the UAC. The academic integrity subcommittee is composed of faculty members of the UAC. The subcommittee reviews the academic progress of each student-athlete each semester and works to ensure that academic integrity is maintained.

· Served on the gender equity subcommittee of the UAC.

· Met with the AEC cabinet in Savannah on February 9-11, 2008.

· Began work with the NCAA working group on student-athletes who are at-risk academically with a meeting on February 10-11, 2008 in Savannah. This is a national group of FARs, ADs, academic support people and others who are charged with developing plans to identify and better serve student-athletes who are at-risk academically.

· Organized and chaired a meeting of the Professional Sports Counseling Panel with the rising senior football players and their families to discuss issues and concerns regarding compliance, the uniform athlete agent’s act, career planning after baseball, and financial planning. This meeting was in conjunction with the Spring Game.

· Participated in the Fifth Annual Academic Excellence Awards Banquet on April 14, 2008 including introducing the award winners and providing closing remarks.

· Wrote congratulatory emails to student-athletes who earned athletic and academic honors during this semester.

· Attended a meeting of C-USA FARs on the University of Central Florida campus in Orlando, FL on March 8, 2008. This meeting was held in conjunction with the C-USA Women’s Basketball Tournament, which allowed additional interaction with C-USA staff members and athletics department staff members from conference institutions.

· Served as a member of the PCS Phosphate Outstanding Male and Female Scholar-athlete Awards Committee.

· Served as a member of the Pat Draughon Post-graduate Scholarship Committee.

· Served as a member of the Walter and Marie Williams “Spirit of the East” Post-eligibility Scholarship Committee.

· Met with Provost Sheerer, other academic administrators, athletics administrators, and Coach Holtz to discuss behavior problems with football players in the classroom.

· Prepared an academic integrity report for the fall 2007 semester for the University Athletics Committee and the Faculty Senate.

· Participated in the Exit Interviews of student-athletes who have exhausted their eligibility to learn more about their experience at ECU. These 30-minute interviews are conducted by faculty members of the UAC with results provided to the Director of Athletics.

· Participated in a conference call meeting of the NCAA working group on student-athletes who are at-risk academically on May 2, 2008.

· Chaired a C-USA FAR task force to study the APR, compile information, make recommendations, and make a report to the ADs at the C-USA Spring Meeting.

Summer Session I 2008

· Attended C-USA 2008 Spring Meeting in Destin FL May 12 through 15. Met with conference faculty athletics representatives (FARs), Athletic Directors (ADs), and Senior Woman Administrators (SWAs).

· Attended the 2008 C-USA Summer Rules Workshop, June 1-3 in San Antonio.

· Attended the 2008 NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program Seminars on June 3 in San Antonio.

· Attended the final AEC cabinet meeting, June 9-11, 2008 in Dallas. This cabinet will no longer exist under the reorganized governance structure of the NCAA.

· Attended a meeting of the NCAA working group on student-athletes who are at-risk academically on June 10, 2008 in Dallas.

· Worked with staff members in the Student Development Office to plan the second COAD 1000 course. Will serve during second summer session as the teacher of record.

· Began the administration of the 2008-2009 NCAA Division I Coaches Certification Test to coaches in all sports. Coaches must pass this test to be eligible to recruit off-campus. Coaches may retake the test in 30 days if they do not pass. The test was administered during June with additional tests planned for July and August with certification running until July 31 of the next year.

· Was appointed by C-USA to serve on the Academic Cabinet from July 1, 2008 – July 1, 2010 with the possibility of reappointment.

Throughout the Year

· Met with Chancellor Ballard as requested to discuss matters relating to academic integrity, rules compliance, and welfare of student-athletes within the Department of Athletics. Kept Chancellor Ballard informed via email otherwise.

· Met monthly with Provost Sheerer to discuss ways to further bridge the gap between academics and athletics especially in regard to eligibility and compliance issues and concerns along with plans to increase resources and improve procedures for ensuring academic integrity.

· Met with both Chancellor Ballard and Provost Sheerer to discuss APR problems with men’s basketball and plans to address those problems. These meetings will continue on a regular basis as part of a plan to address the concerns of President Bowles regarding the APR.

· Met regularly with the Director of Athletics and the Senior Associate Director of Athletics to address matters related to rules compliance, academic integrity, and welfare of student-athletes.

· Met several times each week with the Senior Woman Administrator and the Director of Compliance to address matters related to rules compliance, academic integrity, and welfare of student-athletes.

· Met regularly with the Director of Student Development and her staff to address matters related to academic integrity and academic support for and progress of student-athletes.

· Met monthly with the Student-Athlete Advisory Council. Sought their input regarding matters related to student-athlete welfare. Worked with them to address concerns including support for academics, missed class time, the university excused absence policy, and time demands of athletic participation.

· Met regularly with individual student-athletes to learn about their experiences at ECU and to hear their concerns.

· Attended monthly compliance meetings with all head coaches and was available to assist with academic matters.

· Served on the executive board of the ECU Educational Foundation (Pirate Club) and attended quarterly board meetings.

· Regularly attended athletic competitions and practices to support student-athletes and to learn more about athletics demands. Paid particular attention to women’s athletic competitions and practices because our female student-athletes usually do not receive much attention.

· Continued to work with the Chair of the Faculty Senate and members of the office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, members of the UAC, and the Provost to clarify and to address violations of the university excused absence policy.

· Met monthly with the APR review committee (Thompson, Boyce, and Dosser) to evaluate progress with the academic improvement plans in place to correct APR deficiencies.

· Worked with coaches to address their concerns regarding academic support for and progress of their student-athletes.

· Spent considerable time becoming more familiar with ECU, C-USA, and NCAA policies and procedures.

· Continued to chair the Transfer Release Committee, although no meetings were required this year. Worked with university attorneys to revise the policies and procedures of this committee.

· Served along with Dr. Jim Castenada at Rice University as a liaison to the C-USA Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC).

· Represented the faculty by reviewing requests to use Chancellor’s Special Talent waivers to admit student-athletes who did not meet ECU published admissions criteria and making recommendations.

· Took advantage of opportunities to explain the FAR role, the commitment of ECU to academics within the department of athletics, and the academic success of ECU student-athletes through newspaper articles, radio and TV appearances, and presentations to civic groups.