Procedure for Consideration of Requests for New Intercollegiate Varsity Sports

The University of Mississippi (“UM”) recognizes that students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends may desire the addition of new intercollegiate varsity sports programs on campus. As a result, it has established a process to facilitate the consideration of these requests as follows:

PROCEDURE:
-- The requesting individual(s)/team/club shall submit a response with the required information along with a written proposal via the online link to the Department of Athletics [or Title IX] discussing all of the decision criteria listed below and providing data to support their request.
-- The Director of Athletics and/or senior Athletic Department staff will review the proposal and add additional data or comments as appropriate in formulating the Department’s recommendation. This may include asking for additional information from the requesting individual(s)/team/club.
-- The Athletic Department’s recommendation will be transmitted to the University Chancellor’s office, in most cases within 90 days of its receipt from the requesting individual(s)/team/club.
-- The University Chancellor or their designee will confer with the Director of Athletics or his designee and may request additional information before making a decision to grant or deny the request.
-- Ultimate decisions concerning the scope of the athletic program are at the discretion of the Chancellor and are considered final once a decision is made. Once a final decision is made, the Chancellor or their designee will send a written response to the individual(s)/team/club that made the request with a copy to the Athletic Department.

DECISION CRITERIA OR ADDING A VARSITY SPORT
-- The number of athletes needed to field a competitive team in the proposed sport and the maximum number of athletes such sport would accommodate (e.g. how many athletes are on the roster of varsity teams at other universities in UM’s normal competitive region);
-- The number of UM students interested in varsity competition in that sport and the level of ability and experience among those interested students;
-- The availability of locker room, practice and competitive facilities on or off campus that meet NCAA, SEC or other appropriate governing body standards for the requested sport;
-- The record of recent competitive success at the club or intramural level at UM;
-- Whether the sport is sanctioned by the NCAA at the Division I level and by the Southeastern Conference, including as an emerging sport;
-- Whether there is varsity level intercollegiate competition available in UM’s normal competitive region;
-- Whether there is sufficient high school or club participation in UM’s normal recruitment areas to indicate sufficient future participation in this sport at the varsity level;
-- The impact on diversity and gender representation consistent with applicable laws and organizational rules, reflecting the goal that athlete demographics reflect UM’s undergraduate student body profile;
-- The existence of intercollegiate conference and national championship tournaments for that sport;
-- Spectator interest within UM’s normal competitive region; and
-- The financial impact of adding the proposed team on the budgets of the Athletics Department and UM, including staffing, facilities, equipment, administration, recruiting and scholarship costs, as well as any anticipated revenues from the sport.

The University of Mississippi Athletics