NCAA COMPLIANCE: AN EXAMINATION OF NCAA DIVISION I COMPLIANCE OFFICERS’ PERCEPTIONS ON THE EDUCATIVE PROCESS

A review of the literature indicates an absence of studies about compliance officers working in higher education institutions belonging to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The current qualitative study explored the perceptions of compliance officers in the field of intercollegiate athletics at NCAA Division I institutions in regards to a need for a formalized compliance curriculum. Limited information is currently available about NCAA Division I compliance officers or their perceptions. One research study was conducted with the Pacific-10 conference compliance officers on morality and moral reasoning. In this study, semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with a sample of nine participants from diverse backgrounds. The research was conducted and analyzed over an eight-month period. The primary themes that emerged from the study were (a) experiential learning, (b) hard and soft skills, (c) curricula, (d) image, (e) complexity, (f) interpersonal skills, (g) unnecessary certification, and (h) physical environment. Recommendations for future research included expanding the sample incorporating NCAA Division I conference compliance commissioners and developing a compliance curriculum