Published: May 18, 2005

The University of Colorado at Boulder athletics program is among 13 Division I programs to attain NCAA certification without conditions, according to an announcement Thursday by the NCAA.

Three other universities received certification with conditions in this second cycle of NCAA certification.

The designation of certified means that an institution operates its athletics program in substantial conformity with operating principles adopted by the Division I membership, according to the NCAA announcement.

The certification process reviews three primary components within each athletics program: governance and commitment to rules compliance, academic integrity, and equity and student-athlete welfare. CU-Boulder's certification effort was chaired by Ron Stump, vice chancellor for student affairs, and was completed over a 17-month period.

"We are delighted to learn that our athletics program has been certified by the NCAA," said Interim Chancellor Phil DiStefano. "A broad cross-section of the campus community was involved in the certification process, which is meant to help institutions improve their programs. We appreciate the important work by both the on-campus participants and the NCAA certification committee."

Mike Bohn, newly appointed athletics director at CU-Boulder, said, "This certification provides a strong foundation on which to build. I am looking forward to applying what has been learned from the process to further improve our program."

While the campus maintains a standing committee to review progress on athletic certification plans annually, CU-Boulder will not go through its next certification process until 2014.

The following universities were certified by the NCAA:

Birmingham-Southern College

Boise State University

Charleston Southern University

Cleveland State University

Colorado State University

University of Colorado at Boulder

High Point University

Indiana University, Bloomington

Lipscomb University

Northwestern University

St. Bonaventure University

University of Southern California

Western Illinois University

The three institutions certified with conditions were:

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Delaware State University

University of New Orleans