of the category being analyzed or due to different approaches at Kentucky State University for reporting the data.
For other key elements where, quantitative data was not available, the current situation within the athletics program as observed during an in-person campus visit was reviewed and benchmarked against industry standards for a NCAA Division II athletics program. For those elements, the knowledge and expertise of The PICTOR Group provided a basis for evaluating the current practices in the Kentucky State athletics program with standards that are necessary or common place to ensure a quality experience for Kentucky State's student-athletes.
For purposes of the comparative analysis related to Membership and Conference Affiliation, one conference was selected from within each of the three NCAA membership divisions along with one from the NAIA. The geographic footprint of the conference in relation to Kentucky State University and Frankfort, Kentucky and sponsorship of football were primary considerations. The conferences selected for a comparative analysis of Membership and Conference Affiliation were:
NCAA Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC)*
NCAA Division III Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC)
NCAA Division I Ohio Valley Conference (OVC)
NAIA Mid-South Conference (MSC)
The NCAA has three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III with over 1,100 member institutions. The NAIA consists of 250 member institutions all within one division. Kentucky State University's athletics program competes in NCAA Division II and is a member of the SIAC.
The following descriptions of membership in the two intercollegiate athletic organizations were drawn from the NCAA website ( www.NCAA.org) and from the NAIA website (www.naia.org).
There are 293 NCAA Division II institutions and 24 all-sport conferences. The median undergraduate enrollment is 2,169 and the median number of sports sponsored is 17. Athletics programs at NCAA Division II colleges and universities generally are financed by the institution and have fewer financial resources than Division I to devote to their athletics programs. Division
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