Faculty Affiliate Program

The purpose of the Faculty Affiliate Program is to facilitate interaction between faculty, student-athletes, and coaches in a personal setting that encourages active engagement and open dialogue in order to enhance the student-athlete experience. The Faculty Affiliate Program is intended to encourage the balance of student-athlete’s participation in 1.) athletic competition and 2.) academic learning.

FACULTY AFFILIATE PROGRAM Goals:

  • For faculty:
    • Provide faculty an opportunity for personal mentoring with student-athletes;
    • Demonstrate to students and coaches that faculty are interested in student-athletes’ academic and personal well-being;
    • Develop an understanding of the demands placed on student-athletes to balance academics, athletics, and other activities;
    • Develop an understanding on the demands placed on coaches.
    • For student-athletes:
      • Have an opportunity to share with a faculty member what life as a student-athlete is like;
      • Have student-athletes’ hard work and sacrifice acknowledged by someone outside athletics;
      • Provide students with an opportunity to interact with faculty outside the classroom;
      • Learn about faculty member’s academic interests
      • For coaches:
        • Interact with a greater number of faculty on campus;
        • For all:
          • Enhance communication and increase common understanding of our different approaches, yet shared focus on the students’ success;
          • Increase student-athlete retention and graduation rates
    • Demonstrate coach’s interest in student-athletes’ lives outside of athletics (e.g., in the classroom);
    • Develop an understanding of the barriers that athletic participation can pose for students’ academic success;
    • Demonstrate to faculty the demands required of coaches;

FACULTY AFFILIATE PROGRAM Participation:

Participation in the Faculty Affiliate Program is voluntary on the part of faculty and coaches. The Faculty Athletic Representative (Coordinator for Student Athlete Academic Success) will establish a list of faculty interested in being an Affiliate. Coaches interested in participating should contact the Faculty Athletic Representative. The Faculty Athletic Representative will set up a meeting between the participating coach and faculty Affiliate. Once paired, it is up to the coach and faculty member to determine the extent and type of faculty involvement. The exact role that faculty serve with their team is flexible. Ideally, over time, the faculty Affiliate will establish an ongoing relationship with the coaching staff and student-athletes that allows for open and constructive communication.