A.  INTRODUCTION

In this Section, the Consultants reviewed the personnel and organizational design requirements for UTSA Athletics' potential advancement to NCAA Division I-AA and then I-A. Primary consideration was given to the impact that football would have on Athletics and University staff along with achieving Division I-A best practices. Also, meeting Division I-AAA needs is a prerequisite for adding football.

Personnel recommendations and justification are detailed in Section , Support Systems Analysis of this Study. Additionally, a composite of present and recommended staff along with salaries and benefits is presented in Section V. Fiscal Issues, Attachments 1C and 1D. Benchmark data was collected from Athletics Financial Services, LLC, UTSA Athletics personnel and selected NCAA members.

B.  OBSERVATIONS

1. Personnel

a.  Administrative/Support Staff

Division I-AAA
UTSA has been proactive in adding the necessary personnel to better   support its I-AAA program as well as the addition of Women's Soccer in fall 2006.  Several key student-athlete services positions are to be added in FY 2006-07 along with another Administrative Assistant position:

Academic Advisor #2
Assistant Strength Coach
Assistant Athletic Trainer
Administrative Assistant - Athletic Director

The Consultants further recommend that more staffing is necessary in Sports Information prior to adding football.

Divisions I-AA and I-A

The "fast-tracking" of football from I-AA to I-A accelerates the timeline for providing the appropriate infrastructure for approximately 100 additional student-athletes and 10 coaches. Extra staff will be needed for several established student services units while Equipment Operations and Video Operations will need to be better defined and equipped to include establishing new full-time management positions.

Expectations for increasing revenues, developing contemporary customer service programs along with funding facilities projects will necessitate the redesign of the External Affairs units (Broadcasting, Marketing and Promotions, Development/Fundraising, and Sports Information). Vital staff additions include the following:

Roadrunner Club Director* - FY 2007-08
Major Gifts Officer*  - FY 2007-08
Administrative Assistant/Roadrunner Club*  - FY 2007-08
Director of Sales (Marketing and Promotions)  - FY 2009-10
Marketing and Promotions Intern - FY 2010-11
Assistant Sports Information Director - FY 2013-14
Assistant Ticket Manager - FY 2013-14
Ticket Operations Intern - FY 2010-11

      * Represent best practices for UTSA's I-AAA program

b.  Athletics Coaching Staff
A transition to Division I-AA and to I-A will call for a sizeable investment by hiring 10 full-time football coaches. UTSA has already made a significant commitment to its team sports (Basketball, Baseball, Softball and Volleyball) by funding the NCAA maximum number of positions in those sports. This investment is comparable to prospective Division I-A peers. Note: Women's Soccer will begin in fall 2006; it is assumed that it too will achieve its maximum number of full-time coaches (3).

c.  Personnel Compensation

Administrative Staff
Funding competitive marketplace salaries for administrative staff and coaches is integral to a successful advancement to Division I-A. Athletics' current and recommended Administrative salaries (AD's and Department Heads) should provide UTSA with an adequate baseline for advancing to Division I-A; most of the current salaries are around the 25th percentile for Conference USA (C-USA) while ranging from the 25th percentile to near average for the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). Generally, UTSA's senior administrative salaries are close to the Sun Belt Conference averages.

Coaching Staff
Providing head coaching salaries comparable to UTSA's possible Division I-A peers will require steady incremental adjustments, especially in the Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball and Softball. The following chart contrasts UTSA's head coaches' salaries with its present I-AA conference and three regional Division I-A conferences.

Comparison of UTSA Head Coach Salaries
With
Averages of I-AA and I-A Conference Benchmarks*

*FY 2005-06 data; base salary only
# New Head Coach, May 2006
## New position
### Combined Men & Women

In comparing assistant coaches salaries, UTSA's full-time assistant Men's and Women's Basketball staff totals are considerably below the pool averages in C-USA and the WAC. UTSA Men's Basketball is also lower than the total assistant average in the Sun Belt, while Roadrunner Women's Basketball exceeds the average of Sun Belt counterparts.   

Football Coaching Staff
The Consultants have established a baseline of salaries for the NCAA Division I-A maximum number of 10 coaches and a Director of Operations; positions are introduced over a two year period (FY's 2008-09 and 2009-10). UTSA also must make consistent incremental increases in these salaries to attract and retain quality coaches. The table on the following page compares proposed UTSA football salaries with averages of possible Division I-A regional conferences.

Comparison of UTSA Proposed Football Coaching Salaries
With
Averages of Regional I-A Conference Benchmarks*

*FY 2005-06 data; base salary only
# Assistant AD, Football Operations - $62,983

2. Organizational Design

As described previously, UTSA Athletics is adding the appropriate number of personnel to support its Division I-AAA program. These new positions, combined with best practices, are expected to enhance the effectiveness of Athletics' operations as well as prepare UTSA for the possible addition of football.  

Appropriately, Athletics' organizational design has evolved from its strategic plan, UTSA Athletics Compact for 2005-06, along with its Mission, Vision, Departmental Values, Goals and Objectives. Recent changes in Athletics' structure have also been precipitated by Athletics Vision 2010 - a case for improving UTSA's Athletic facilities and introducing football. 

Mission and Vision
UTSA's Athletics Mission and Vision Statements are clearly aligned with the University's Mission, Vision and Strategic Goals. Athletics sees its Vision 2010 as a complement to the University's desire to achieve Tier 1 status. Vision 2010 succinctly describes Athletics long-term expectations. 

Organizational Design
Athletics' organizational chart (Exhibit 4) depicts an industry accepted practice of clustering Internal Operations, External Affairs and Academic Operations. Sports teams are also divided among senior administrative staff, which provides efficient support for student-athletes and coaches.

If football is added, UTSA may want to shift the responsibility of Sports Medicine to the Internal Operations cluster where it is typically positioned. Equipment Operations, Grounds Crew, and Video Operations should also be added to this grouping. Football will also impact how External Operations does business; the inclusion of the 7 recommended positions will force a redesign of this cluster.

Like many of its Division I peers, UTSA integrates several support systems with similar institutional units while maintaining a dual reporting relationship with Athletics. UTSA has adopted this model with its Compliance and Eligibility program. Division I trends also show Academic Services and CHAMPS/Life Skills more closely aligned with the institutions academic or student affairs unit. This design offers athletics a practical approach to enhancing student services without duplicating resources; institutional control and rules compliance is strengthened as well.

University Organizational Design
Presently, UTSA's oversight of Athletics is assigned to the Vice President for Student Affairs. However, the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics and the NCAA has increased the emphasis on direct leadership for Athletics from an institution's Chief Executive Officer.

Policies and Procedures     
The Athletics Department utilizes an online staff policy and procedures manual. A formal compilation of athletics polices is common practice for Division I and will be instrumental as UTSA considers the introduction of football.

C. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Athletics' capacity to provide necessary personnel along with market-driven   salaries will partly determine its ability to successfully support football.  Athletics must also continue to redesign its organization to effectively manage a rapidly evolving Athletics Program. Fundamental to Athletics' design is the allotment of adequate resources to support a more highly developed infrastructure.

Personnel

1. Additional coaching and administrative/support staff positions should be implemented strategically with salaries and benefits included into the Department's protracted financial pro forma.
   
2. Salary adjustments should reflect marketplace benchmarks (regional Division I and I-AA peers). 
   
3. Communicate required personnel adjustments to Athletics staff and appropriate constituents; this will eliminate ambiguity among staff as to the Department's strategic direction.

Organizational Design

1. If the University decides to add football, Athletics should update its strategic plan during the 2006-07 Academic Year.
   
2. Assign direct Athletics oversight to UTSA's President.
   
3. If football is added, Athletics should redesign its organizational chart by moving Sports Medicine to the Associate AD for Internal Operations.
   
4. Athletics' organizational chart should illustrate an assignment of responsibility for all recognized Support Systems or cost centers; this includes "auxiliaries" such as Housing and Dining, Information Technology and Event Management.  
   
5. All formal Athletics Support Systems should develop a strategic/business plan that is updated annually; basic components include vision, mission, critical issues, goals, strategies, accountability and resource requirements.
   
6. All job descriptions for any new and existing Athletics positions should be consistently reviewed and redesigned to support the Department's priorities and strategic direction.
   
7. Integrate appropriate Athletics Support Systems and respective personnel into University units; for example, Academic Services with Academic Affairs; maintain dual reporting lines with Athletics.