Intercollegiate Athletic Committees: Dimensions of Influence.
The past few years have witnessed an intensification of interest among college and university administrators in gaining greater institutional control over intercollegiate athletic programs. This concern has been most pronounced in institutions with large and highly competitive programs. Since much of the control that has existed on most campuses has been exercised through some sort of athletic committee or board, dominated in most instances by faculty members and, to a lesser extent, administrators, plans to strengthen or alter the locus of control could be aided by understanding the influence of those boards and the factors that affect their influence. A variety of problems must be faced in strengthening or altering institutional control of an athletic program. Some of these problems are common to collegiate administration of any area; others are relatively unique to athletics. Among the former is the confusion over the dividing line between policy setting and administration. Related to this distinction is that between responsibility and accountability, as well as the question of to whom a board or director should be responsible and/or accountable. Among the problems relatively unique to athletics is their large and vocal constituency, a good portion of which has little interest in academic issues. Competitive sports have assumed a very special role in