Iowa State University. Dept. of Athletics. NCAA Steering Committee.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the organization through which the nation's colleges and universities speak and act on athletic matters at the national level. It is a voluntary association of approximately 1,200 institutions, conferences, organizations, and individuals. Athletics certification was approved for Division I institutions at the 1993 NCAA Convention. The program is intended to open university athletic programs to university communities and the public through comprehensive institutional self studies.

Each Division I school is expected to complete a self study once every five years, and it covers four areas: governance and commitment to rules compliance, academic integrity, fiscal integrity, and commitment to equity. A peer review team also visits campus to verify the self study accuracy. The program is administered by a committee that includes the college president, athletics administrators, faculty representatives, and conference commissioners.