CWU Blue Ribbon Commission On Athletics Releases Final Report

August 16, 2005

Contact: Robert Lowery (509-963-1487/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail: loweryr@cwu.edu

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Following nearly a year's worth of work, the Central Washington University Blue Ribbon Commission on Athletics has released its final report. In July 2004, CWU President Jerilyn S. McIntyre formed the commission and charged it with recommending a long-range plan for intercollegiate competition, intramural activities and club sports. Its first meeting was held last September.

CWU fields 13 intercollegiate athletic squads, encompassing more than 400 student-athletes, and 16 sports clubs. In excess of 3,000 Central students also take part in intramurals.

Dr. Ethan Bergman, associate dean of the CWU College of Education and Professional Studies and the university's faculty athletic representative, chaired the 20-member panel comprised of university administrators, current and former faculty and staff members, students and alumni.

In its 30-page final report, the commission evaluated the present state of CWU intercollegiate athletics, sports clubs and intramurals. The report also contains recommendations, designed to help guide university administrators in making strategic funding decisions, pertaining to operations, funding and financial concerns, and facilities.

Those findings include that:

• CWU should remain at the NCAA Division II level and retain its primary affiliation in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference;
• Central must increase funding for intercollegiate athletics through additional scholarships for student-athletes, travel and operations; and,
• the university needs to construct a multi-use facility to accommodate athletics, academics, and alumni and development events.

Bergman, a professor of food science and nutrition, notes that committee members also advised that a new Blue Ribbon panel be appointed in 2010 to re-evaluate athletics at Central.

In May, based on a preliminary recommendation from the Blue Ribbon Commission, McIntyre appointed Mark Anderson, formerly the CWU director of public relations and marketing, to the position of athletic development director.