Media Center 4/17/2018 4:55:16 PM

Division II University brings health and safety, rules education to coaches online

Division II University is a new online program for Division II coaches that provides education on NCAA rules and student-athlete health and safety.

The Planning Process

April 2016: The Division II Presidents Council approves funding for 10 initiatives through the Foundation for the Future, including an online coaches education program.
February 2017: Division II coaches are surveyed to get feedback on education topics and user preferences for the program. About 1,500 coaches respond.
June 2017: Focus groups are held with more than 100 coaches at the Division II Identity Workshop.
July 2017: The Division II Management Council and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee provide feedback on topics.
August 2017: A two-day design workshop to determine rules content is held with 15 coaches and administrators.
August 2017: NCAA staff begins working with an outside vendor to build educational content.
November 2017: The Division II Legislation Committee begins discussion on whether to replace the coaches test with Division II University modules.
November 2017: The Legislation Committee seeks feedback from the membership.
January 2018: Implementation of the learning management system begins.
January 2018: The program is previewed at the NCAA Convention.
March 2018: The Legislation Committee recommends a 2019 NCAA Convention proposal to replace the coaches test with Division II University modules.
Spring 2018: Division II University launches.

The rollout of the program, intended to enhance coaches' engagement and understanding of key rules and issues, will include 26 training modules focused on recruiting and eligibility rules, mental health and sexual violence prevention.

While Division II University will be a voluntary resource for schools and conferences when it launches this spring, the Division II Legislation Committee in March recommended a proposal to replace the annual mandatory coaches exam with required completion of training modules in Division II University. The committee is targeting the 2019-20 academic year for the change, which would require a vote at the 2019 NCAA Convention.

All Division II coaches will have access to Division II University. The program is housed online in a new learning management system that can be accessed through the NCAA single-source sign-on application.

Division II University is one of 10 initiatives that received a portion of the division's $5.7 million Foundation for the Future funding. Division II dedicated $1.5 million to the coaches education program, which will be distributed over five years, from 2016 to 2021.

Content and Navigation

Training modules incorporate short videos, snippets of educational text and interactive activities to test coaches' knowledge. To accommodate coaches on the go, the modules are optimized on mobile devices but also can be completed on desktop computers.

Recruiting: The recruiting section of Division II University includes 15 training modules, covering such topics as financial aid and offers, National Letters of Intent, unofficial visits, and camps and clinics.

Eligibility: The eligibility section includes training modules on working with international students, outside competition, entering freshmen and progress toward a degree.

Health and Safety: The health and safety section is produced in conjunction with the NCAA Sport Science Institute and includes modules on mental health and sexual violence prevention.

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