Issuing its "road map to excellence" for the university's athletics program, a dozen-member commission appointed by Cal State Northridge President Jolene Koester said many changes will be required for the program "to emerge from the periphery and become a far more well-recognized and appreciated asset, one that brings credit to itself and its institution."

The president's Blue Ribbon Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics completed its four-month review of the university's intercollegiate athletics program by issuing a 23-page report that included 11 major recommendations and many other more detailed ones. The recommendations will serve as a guide for Northridge athletics during the next five to seven years.

"As the only four-year public university in the San Fernando Valley region, California State University, Northridge is uniquely situated to offer a broad and exciting intercollegiate athletic program that captures not only the attention and support of the campus community, but also more broadly among the 2 million people who live in the region…" the commission said.

"In sum, then, the Commission is recommending that Cal State Northridge's Intercollegiate Athletics program likewise needs to become a much more central and visible presence in the life of the University and its community, emerging as the focus of spectator athletic competition for the region," the commission concluded.

In announcing the report, President Koester expressed broad support for the commission's findings and said the university will proceed to develop an athletics action plan based on the report. With 20 men and women's teams and some 400 student-athletes involved, Cal State Northridge has one of the broadest NCAA Division I sports programs among comparable universities.

"A successful university athletics program has the potential to excite both the campus and the surrounding community, and help spur interest and support for all of the university's endeavors," Koester said. "But to be truly successful, I too believe Northridge athletics must build much stronger relationships with the campus and community," she added.

The commission's report comes at a key time, as the university is now conducting a national search for a new athletic director to oversee the campus' nearly $7 million-a-year intercollegiate athletics program. University officials plan to interview finalists for the position and then choose a candidate later in the spring 2006 semester.

Mo Qayoumi, CSUN's vice president for administration and finance, and CFO, served as chair of the commission, which also included representatives from athletics, student government, university alumni, the faculty and the community. Dr. Cedric Dempsey, president emeritus of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), served as consultant to the commission.

Although Cal State Northridge for decades was a national power in NCAA Division II competition, the university's athletic program has faced a tougher road since moving to the NCAA Division I level in 1990-91. Through the years, the shift has raised athletics' costs and facility needs, but often not translated into greater community or financial support.

To be more successful, the commission recommended that Northridge athletics start by building much stronger connections on-campus with CSUN's students, faculty, staff and alumni through increased marketing and promotional efforts. Only then, the panel said, can excitement about and support for Northridge athletics spread to the broader community.

The commission also concluded that Northridge's athletic program is modestly funded compared to comparable programs in the California-based Big West Conference, in which most CSUN teams compete. While the university funds about two-thirds of the program now, the commission said student and private support should play a larger role in coming years.

Other major commission recommendations include:

• Increasing academic support staff and developing an academic center for student-athletes to improve their academic success and graduation rates.
• Making athletics program funding a shared responsibility between the university, its students and the community, with each ultimately contributing about one-third of needed funds.
• Using private funds to finance planned long-term improvements to several key campus athletic venues, including the soccer facility, the Matadome gym and the baseball stadium.
• Developing a long-range plan for future athletic facility needs that includes consideration of a multipurpose athletic and student recreation center project on the main campus.
• Recruiting athletics staff and student-athletes into the program who also are committed to the university's educational mission.

The full report of CSUN's Blue Ribbon Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics is available on the university's Web site at: http://www.csun.edu/~presofc/athleticscommission.html.