Task Force on Athletics Policy and Culture

Task Force Charge

The Task Force on Athletics Policy and Culture will carry out a comprehensive review of existing WSU Intercollegiate Athletic Association (ICAA) policies, procedures and practices within the Athletics Department, with the goal of ensuring WSU provides a supportive environment for all student-athle. The task force will do the following:

1. Review existing ICAA policies, procedures, and practices governing the reporting, investigation, and response to allegations of coaching misconduct, student-athlete welfare, policy or regulatory violations, and compliance violations (e.g., NCAA or AAC) and identify strengths and gaps in how they ensure the Athletics Department identifies, investigates, and responds to such concerns.
2. Review relevant ICAA policies and procedures and:
   1. Compare those to the policies, procedures and practices of other comparable D-1 AAC and non-AAC schools (i.e. does not have a football program, size of school, etc.) and report on how they compare to each other.
   2. Identify strengths and gaps or areas for improvement and make recommendations for any changes. 
3. Assess and report on the current environment among the student athletes and athletics staff, specifically whether or not they feel properly supported and that there is an understood mechanism for reporting allegations of physical or verbal abuse or other policy violations.
4. Build on recently acquired environmental assessment and survey information and continue to assess and report on the current environment among the student athletes and athletics staff, specifically whether or not they feel properly supported and that there is an understood mechanism for reporting allegations of physical or verbal abuse or other policy violations.
5. Based on the assessment and policy review, identify any initiatives, structural improvements, or efforts that the Athletics Department could adopt to promote a safer environment and foster a culture where student-athletes and Athletics staff feel comfortable reporting allegations of physical or verbal abuse or other policy violations.