Intercollegiate Athletic Purposes Expressed in Mission Statements

Abstract

Many athletic departments at colleges and universities publically post mission statements, but researchers rarely examine these documents to determine the stated purposes of intercollegiate athletics. In this paper, two research questions are addressed. First, what themes do schools emphasize in their athletic department mission statements? Second, does the content of mission statements depend on institutional environment (i.e., Division I, II, III, and public vs. private)? This analysis of 131 mission statements offers a systematic means for understanding the goal-orientation of athletic programs in American higher education, and assessing variation in regard to the thought and direction of intercollegiate athletics.