St. John's News

St. John’s University in cooperation with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has begun an 18-month recertification process for its Division I Athletics programs. As an NCAA member institution, St. John’s University must reapply for certification, under NCAA guidelines, for a third cycle through a Self Study Review. That process began this past August.

“We are happy to cooperate with the NCAA as part of their recertification process,” said Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M., President of St. John’s University. “Our Division I status is very important to us and paramount to the overall college experience for our student-athletes. Under the guidance of Chris Monasch, Director of Athletics, we will continue to provide the necessary resources for our teams to be successful and compete at the highest level of collegiate athletic competition.”

St. John’s University was recertified for the second cycle in 2002 with no conditions assessed, passing all criteria set forth by NCAA Compliance Standards. This new recertification, with a decision to be rendered in February 2010, will cover a 10-year period.

Dr. Dorothy Habben, Vice President and Secretary of the University, was appointed by Rev. Harrington, C.M. to serve as Chair of the NCAA Self Study Review. In addition, St. John’s representatives have been appointed to a University-wide Steering Committee, which will have responsibility for the overall self-study process.

In early fall 2009; members of an NCAA Peer Review Site Team will visit St. John’s Queens campus for three-days. The team will meet with Rev. Harrington, C.M., the Steering Committee and the various Sub-Committees that have been assembled to address the three areas that are the subject of the certification: Gender, Diversity and Student Wellness; Academic Integrity; and Governance and Commitment to Rules Compliance. They will provide written documentation of their findings following the visit. The University will then have several months to respond and finalize the Self Study for submission to the NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification.

St. John’s is one of the first Division I Athletics programs to agree to the Self Study Review in the new third cycle restructuring process.

Media interested in finding out more about St. John’s and the current NCAA recertification process can contact Dominic Scianna, Assistant Vice President for Media Relations at St. John’s University by calling Dominic Scianna at (718) 990-6185 or e-mail inquiries to sciannad@stjohns.edu. Information can also be found by visiting the NCAA web site at www.ncaa.org.

News and information regarding St. John’s can be obtained by visiting the University web site at www.stjohns.edu/news.