SUMMARY OF ACCREDITATION STATUS
Saint Leo University
In accordance with the June 2013 COSMA Accreditation Process Manual, page 21, this
summary of accreditation status describes the formal action taken by the
Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) Board of Commissioners
with regard to an academic unit/sport management program seeking accreditation
for its sport management programs by COSMA.
Profile of Accredited Academic Unit/Sport Management Program
Type of Programs:
Bachelor of Arts, Sport Business
Masters of Business Administration,
Concentration in Sport Business
COSMA Accreditation Information
History:
“Accredited with Notes” in June 2010
The COSMA Board of Commissioners reviewed Saint Leo University’s Bachelor of
Arts in Sport Business and Masters of Business Administration, Concentration in
Sport Business in June 2010. The review of the programs was based on the eight
COSMA accreditation principles that require an academic unit/sport management
program to show that its program(s) displays excellence in undergraduate and
graduate sport management education and continuous improvement through
COSMA’s developmental approach (June 2012 COSMA Accreditation Principles and
Self Study Preparation, p. 1).
On June 3, 2010, the COSMA Board of Commissioners determined that Saint Leo
University demonstrated that it meets these principles, that its programs are
consistent with the continuous improvement and excellence in sport management
education that COSMA has established and should receive recognition for a period of
up to 7 years.
Additional Reporting Requirements
The Saint Leo University Bachelor of Arts in Sport Business and Masters of Business
Administration, Concentration in Sport Business degrees are “Accredited with
Notes.” “Accredited with Notes” indicates that certain principles of COSMA have not
been met. The institution is required to address the Notes on an annual basis until
those concerns are dealt with by the institution and accepted by COSMA. The
institution has up to three years to eliminate the deficiencies identified in the Notes.
If the deficiencies are not removed within the required three-year period, the BOC
may place it on probation (May 2013 COSMA Accreditation Process Manual, pp. 2021).
In addition, the COSMA Board of Commissioners determined that a focused site visit
to review specifically the Masters of Business Administration, Concentration in
Sport Business program was to occur at least six months prior to the end of the
three year period within which the previously-identified Notes must be addressed.
The one-day site visit occurred on November 15, 2012, conducted by one current
member of the Board of Commissioners.
Notes – Undergraduate program
Principle 1: Outcomes Assessment
Issue: Concern remains over the definition of “relationships” as outlined in the
student learning outcomes. Two of the five learning outcome measures offered
include a reference to relationships.
Note 1: Add clarifying language and a definition to learning outcomes 3 and 4 to
define what is meant by “relationships.” Provide additional sample measures and
rubrics for these two learning outcomes that directly reference the “relationships”
outcome.
Resolved: July 2011.
Issue: The depth and breadth of curriculum available provides an ample source of
meaningful measures, yet the analysis relied too heavily on measures such as the
Internship Evaluation, Internship Supervisor Evaluation, and Employment in the
Sport Industry.
Note 2: Provide a revised O/A plan with measures that clearly assess student
learning (not course effectiveness) in the following areas:
1) Ensure direct and indirect measures link directly to desired outcomes. This
issue should be addressed throughout the plan and include specific attention
to the following areas that need to be modified to fully measure student
learning:
a. Use of internship grade to measure outcome #2 (thinking critically
about current issues in sport).
b. Use of employment success as a measure of outcome #2.
c. More detail is needed as to how capstone course exams, sport
governance final report, and sport finance final report measure
outcome #3 (understanding relationships between organizations).
d. Securing an internship, internship site supervisor evaluations and
success securing employment as measures of outcome #5 (exhibiting
ethical behavior and living the core values within the employment
setting). The BOC believes that employment success and securing an
internship serve as measures of effectiveness, rather than measures of
student learning.
2) Provide specific rubrics for each measure of student learning.
3) Provide a more detailed summary of the data collected and indicate how the
data will be used to impact program improvements.
Resolved: July 2011 and July 2012
Principle 4: Faculty
Issue: Faculty inherit significant teaching loads, often have overload assignments,
and have extremely high advising loads. No increase in full-time faculty was granted
to the Department of Sport Business when the MBA Sport Business Specialization
(ten courses) was added in the fall of 2006. Additional responsibilities (e.g.,
teaching and advising) placed upon the faculty as a result of program expansion may
impact their ability to maintain program quality.
Note 3: Clarify the ongoing impact of the MBA Sport Business Specialization on
faculty loads. How will this impact future performance of both undergraduate and
graduate programs? Provide evidence that discussions of faculty loads, curriculum
changes, and strategic planning are taking place and outline in a detail (dates,
actions taken, outcomes of actions) how this issue is being addressed.
Resolved: July 2011 and July 2012
Notes – Graduate program
Principle 1: Outcomes Assessment
Issue: The outcomes sought and data provided relate exclusively to the MBA
program without sport management discipline specificity. Data collected was
aggregate for the MBA program. While the outcomes assessment plan notes that
copies of the assessment instruments were provided in attached files, no such
attachments were found.
Note 1: Provide copies of discipline-specific learning outcomes related to Sport
Management and indicate how they were developed and how they will be assessed.
Provide copies of assessment instruments and rubrics for all learning outcomes.
To be Reviewed May 2013 – See Additional Concerns below
Principle 3: Curriculum
Issue: Since the inception of the program in 2006, there has been no review of the
curriculum by sport business faculty. Principle 3.5 requires ongoing curriculum
review and improvement.
Note 2: Indicate the process that you have established for the ongoing review and
development of the MBA Sport Business Specialization curriculum by full-time sport
business faculty. Provide minutes from meetings that show evidence of the
development of this process and minutes from meetings wherein full-time sport
business faculty have reviewed the MBA Sport Business Specialization curriculum.
To be Reviewed May 2013 – See Additional Concerns below
Principle 4: Faculty
Issue: The following self-study question from Section 4.2 was not answered in the
supplemental materials provided: Explain how the faculty is sufficient to manage
program operations. How are internships and student advising handled?
Note 3: Provide a response to the question regarding how the faculty is sufficient to
manage program operations. Provide information on how internships and student
advising are handled. If these processes are changing as a result of the accreditation
process, show evidence of this change.
Resolved: October 2010 – To be Reviewed May 2013 - See Additional
Concerns below
Principle 6: Resources
Issue: Principle 6.2 was not fully met as detail is needed on the facilities,
equipment, technology, and other support provided to part-time faculty teaching in
the program.
Note 4: Provide a detailed explanation of the resources (e.g., facilities, equipment,
technology, other support) provided to part-time faculty teaching in the program.
Note any changes that will be made as a result of this accreditation process.
Resolved: October 2010
Principle 7: Internal and External Relationships
Issue: Principle 7.2, Admissions Processes, was not addressed in the submission of
materials.
Note 5: Provide a response to Principle 7.2, Admissions Processes, for the MBA
Sport Business Specialization that includes the following:
1) Describe the admission policies for each of the master’s degree programs
administered by your academic unit/sport management program. You may
identify the page numbers in the student catalog that describe your admissions
policy for master’s degree programs. Describe how the admission of students
to your master’s degree programs conforms to the approved admissions
policies, and identify any exceptions.
2) Describe how graduate students are classified (e.g., unclassified, postbaccalaureate, non- degree, provisional, conditional, probationary, etc.), and
describe how these classifications are applied. Provide the catalog page
number as a supporting reference.
3) Describe differences in admission policies and classification of students for
each format in which your master’s degree sport management programs are
offered (e.g., day, evening, weekend, online, distance, intensive, or
accelerated).
4) Explain how your graduate admission requirements attempt to ensure that
students admitted to the master’s degree program have a reasonable chance to
succeed in the program.
Resolved: October 2010
Additional Concerns to be Addressed/Reviewed by May 2013
Principle 1: Outcomes Assessment
Issue: The outcomes sought and data provided relate exclusively to the MBA
program without sport management discipline specificity. Data collected was
aggregate for the MBA program. While the outcomes assessment plan notes that
copies of the assessment instruments were provided in attached files, no such
attachments were found. Provide copies of discipline-specific learning outcomes
related to Sport Management and indicate how they were developed and how they
will be assessed. Provide copies of assessment instruments and rubrics for all
learning outcomes.
Note 1: Submit any additional revisions you make to your outcomes assessment
plan to be reviewed during your site visit in November 2012.
Resolved: May 2013
Principle 3: Curriculum
Issue: Since the inception of the program in 2006, there has been no review of the
curriculum by sport business faculty. Principle 3.5 requires ongoing curriculum
review and improvement. Indicate the process that you have established for the
ongoing review and development of the MBA Sport Business Specialization
curriculum by full-time sport business faculty. Provide minutes from meetings that
show evidence of the development of this process and minutes from meetings
wherein full-time sport business faculty have reviewed the MBA Sport Business
Specialization curriculum.
Note 2: Provide a summary of the curriculum review conducted during the 2011-12
academic year and any changes implemented as a result for review during your site
visit in November 2012.
Resolved: May 2013
Principle 4: Faculty
Issue: The following self-study question from Section 4.2 was not answered in the
supplemental materials provided: Explain how the faculty is sufficient to manage
program operations. How are internships and student advising handled? Provide a
response to the question regarding how the faculty is sufficient to manage program
operations. Provide information on how internships and student advising are
handled. If these processes are changing as a result of the accreditation process,
show evidence of this change.
Note 3: Provide an update on this item and faculty hiring for your site visit in
November 2012.
Resolved: May 2013
Saint Leo University will provide an Annual Report, due by July 31 each year, that
addresses the “Notes” specified by the Board of Commissioners in their letter of
accreditation. The purpose of the annual report is to keep the COSMA apprised of
the activities of and the changes that take place within the academic unit/sport
management program each academic year so a determination can be made that the
academic unit/sport management program remains in compliance with COSMA
accreditation principles, policies, and procedures. Any activity or change within the
institution and/or the academic unit/sport management program that materially
alters the status of the sport management faculty, the sport management
curriculum, the resources in support of the academic unit/sport management
program, or other issue that might impact its compliance with COSMA accreditation
principles must be reported in the annual report to the COSMA.
Most Recent Accreditation Action
Date:
May 29, 2013
Decision:
All previously-identified Notes resolved.
Reaffirmation of Accreditation: June 2017
Student Learning Outcomes
Information pertaining to student learning and achievement in the sport
management programs accredited by COSMA can be obtained by visiting Saint Leo
University’s website or by contacting Dr. Susan Foster at Susan.Foster@saintleo.edu.