UWG News Archive

UWG investigating going to Division I

April 29, 2005

CARROLLTON, GA - The University of West Georgia has announced plans to initiate an investigation of the feasibility of moving its athletics program over the long term to NCAA Division I and is also investigating plans to build its own stadium. Currently, the University’s intercollegiate teams compete in the Gulf South Conference of Division II.

According to Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna, UWG president, responsible planning mandates that UWG begin to look ahead to the next decade in all components of the University.

“In the next 10-15 years, enrollment is expected to grow by 50 percent and we expect that our faculty and staff size will grow proportionately,” he noted. “There is no question that we will grow in academic stature and in facilities. While we are very proud to belong to arguably the best conference in Division II and enjoy excellent relations with our colleagues in the Gulf South Conference, I believe the athletics department must move on a parallel course.”

Sethna continued, “It is important for everyone to realize that this is a journey that is going to take several years. It is not something that can be done overnight and to do it one day before we are ready, without a solid business plan for success, would be irresponsible and potentially disastrous. We must do the due diligence necessary to make this a reality and to avoid pitfalls experienced by institutions moving to Division I precipitously.”

According to Ed Murphy, athletic director and men’s basketball coach, the University will be in the investigative mode for a while. Assuming that the decision is to move ahead, the process will take a minimum of five years but more likely seven to eight years. The University must have multiple factors in place, including approval of the Chancellor and the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, and must comply with the waiting period established by the NCAA.

Murphy noted that football would compete in Division I-AA but all other sports compete in Division I-A. UWG has men’s teams in football, basketball, baseball, cross country and golf, and women compete in basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer and cross country.

Murphy explained the importance of moving the athletics programs forward to parallel the anticipated growth in enrollment. At the 13,000 enrollment mark, there are only six out of 200 schools in Division II with a residential student population similar to UWG. At the 15,000 enrollment mark, that number decreases to two.

Sethna believes that a move to Division I will enhance the overall reputation of the University. However, numerous prerequisites must be in place in order to move to Division I such as a sound financial basis for the athletic department and a reasonable expectation of successful competition. Enrollment growth must generate enough fee support to sustain the athletics budget.

“A necessary prerequisite for any football school to move to Division I is to have or build a football stadium,” Sethna noted. “We will start the research by talking to the schools which have made such moves and begin to gather as much information as possible.”

According to Dr. Tara Singer, vice president for University advancement, a small group of volunteers and University personnel are trying to identify what type of stadium UWG would require, how much it would cost, and who (individuals and corporations) would be interested in supporting such a project.

To start the process of investigating the long-term feasibility of a possible move of the athletics program to NCAA Division I standing, the University will form a committee to gather the necessary information. The committee will evaluate the finances, staffing, facilities and other requirements for the institution to successfully compete at the Division I level.

Committee members will review budgets at other Division I-AA institutions to determine what resources UWG will need in order to operate a solid Division I program. The committee will investigate the market for ticket sales as well as corporate sponsorship interest in the region. The committee will also explore suitable conference membership possibilities for UWG in addition to developing a time line for moving into Division I and identifying the institutional benchmarks for making this move.

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