With the support of the Montana Tech Foundation, Collegiate Consulting completed a comprehensive Intercollegiate Athletics Operational Review for Montana Technological University . In addition to an assessment of athletics, the focus of the study was to benchmark competition within to the Frontier Conference. The final report provided actionable and prioritized action items incorporating our findings and best practices, in alignment with Montana Tech’s institutional strategic plan.
Collegiate Consulting interviewed more than 50 stakeholders as part of the assessment. Collegiate Consulting collected and analyzed MTU institutional benchmarking (enrollment, trends, endowment, academic profile, tuition/fees, net tuition revenue, retention rates, graduation rates); athletic data (budgets, institutional support, staffing/org chart, salaries, financial aid, competitiveness, roster management) as well as Frontier Conference benchmarking (total athletic budgets, operating budgets, salaries/staffing, athletic financial aid, competitiveness, sports sponsorship, athletic facilities).
The 138-page final assessment included analyses and recommendations for the organizational structure, competitiveness, sports sponsorship, student athlete financial aid, coaching staff, Title IX, net tuition revenue, ticket sales, athletic fundraising, corporate sponsorships, licensing, staffing, and facilities.
This month, most college students get four to nine days to head home to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends. Some student-athletes, however, are either staying on campus to train and host matches or hitting the road for away games.
Like other mid-semester breaks, student-athletes enjoy the respite from classes, but not competition – with some even claiming that the break is not long enough to provide mental relief, especially with final exams on the horizon.
Since Thanksgiving occurs late in the month this year, students will return for only one or two weeks before Winter Break. These longer breaks challenge student-athletes to hold themselves accountable for practicing solo and, if at home, finding facilities similar to their NCAA standards. Athletes who stay on campus, or are required to return early from breaks, struggle to maintain nutritional diets with limited food availability. Fall student-athletes advancing to championship finals during these often-month-long breaks face added pressure.
Homesickness is just another obstacle to an athlete’s mental recalibration. International student-athletes are unlikely to go home for either Thanksgiving or Winter Break and can experience feelings of isolation. We think of the holidays as a time for family and are inspired by programs that foster a new sense of community and create or maintain traditions to celebrate as a team. Collegiate Consulting applauds student athletes, along with coaches and athletic staffers, who make huge sacrifices during the season of giving.
If you work in college athletics, holiday breaks may not apply to you. With Fall sports championships underway – and continuing through Jan. 6 – and Winter sports starting competition, college athletic department staffs are pushed to their limits. In addition to balancing the end of one season and beginning of another, ADs are constantly looking to the future with scheduling, recruiting and even evaluation of efficiency. Many universities are seeking to maximize resources with concentrated looks into their business offices, compliance, facility development, government relations and Title IX reporting.
Collegiate Consulting specializes in comprehensive Operational Reviews and has the tools to provide an in-depth approach to making a thoughtful and beneficial analysis.
As we continue to partner with institutions of varying size and conference competition level, we are excited to explore opportunities for each new and existing clients. There are several moving pieces to research that give our university partners an expanded perspective for potential excellence.
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