Collegiate Consulting was retained by Portland State University in May 2021 to conduct an Intercollegiate Athletic Review. The objective of the 483-page study was a comprehensive review and assessment of PSU athletics department and present recommendations for the future of athletics.
Over the course of eight weeks, Collegiate Consulting interviewed more than 125 stakeholders in focus groups or individual conversations; these cohorts included administrators, coaches, professors, alumni, community leaders, business owners, donors, student-athletes and non-student-athletes. Additionally, two surveys were released. One survey went to the current student body, the other went to nearly 70,000 donors and alumni.
The benchmarking portion of the study compared PSU to its peers in the Big Sky Conference; the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and Great Northwest Athletic Conference, which was part of the Division II and Division III analysis. Comprehensive elements of analysis included total athletic and sports operating budgets, sports sponsorship, institutional comparisons, athletic success, academic success, staffing, salaries, sources of revenue and scholarships as a sampling of data comparisons.
After extensive interviews, research and benchmarking, Collegiate Consulting’s recommendations emphasized components in two different categories: internal/campus and external/aspirant. While several items may fall under both umbrellas, the first priority is the development of an athletics strategic plan, which based on data and interviews has not been done since the move to Division I. It will be imperative for PSU to develop a clear vision with substantive and definable goals across athletics for each department and sports team.
As we continue to engage more and more collegiate athletic departments, Collegiate Consulting is excited to acknowledge the achievements accomplished by the student-athletes of our past and present clients. One of our tenets of operation is seeking student and institutional elevation.
The resilience and dedication that college athletes have demonstrated in the past year is something deserving of recognition and applause.
Please follow us to watch how we highlight these athletic advancements.