One year after first expressing interest in joining the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the University of British Columbia is still deciding whether or not to apply for a Division II membership.
The university wants to be sure that the NCAA is the right fit for its athletes.
The UBC Athletics Department has been considering joining the NCAA for a few years, but only publicly stated its interest last year.
"We have recently put in place a consultation process on campus to gather different opinions regarding this potential membership," said Ben Schach, sports information director at UBC. "Then, an independent board will put forward a recommendation."
Ultimately, UBC President Stephen Toope will make the final decision.
Concerns have been raised over whether UBC could afford to join the NCAA, as its current athletics budget of $4 million would not be sufficient to finance its various sports as a NCAA member.
Schach said that there were no budgetary concerns and that an official decision had to be made before further discussions of financial matters. According to Schach, the cost of the NCAA is exaggerated and UBC would be more than able to finance its sports teams.
"UBC is one of the only universities in Canada with full-time paid head coaches and assistant coaches," Schach said when asked about finances.
UBC's men's hockey team recently travelled to Alaska to play the University of Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves and the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks, both Division I NCAA teams.
Steve Cobb, director of athletics for the University of Alaska-Anchorage, said that most directors in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference were in favour of adding UBC to its conference because it is a renowned academic establishment with a strong athletics program.
If the university chooses to join the NCAA, UBC athletes may have to spend more time travelling, though Schach does not see this as a problem.
2008 Woodie Awards
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