FAQs on Faculty Governance in Notre Dame Athletics

The Faculty Board on Athletics (FBA) is the principal advisory group to the president on educational issues related to intercollegiate athletics. The committee comprises ten faculty members, one student representative, and four ex officio members from other campus units, including the Director of Academic Services for Student-Athletes (ASSA). The committee ensures faculty input into critical decisions about Notre Dame’s athletics programs, and includes representatives from all schools and colleges except the School of Architecture. Among other things, the FBA places limits on the number of classes that student-athletes can miss for regular-season athletics competition. The committee reviews all competition schedules to ensure compliance with those limits. You can find a list of FBA members and the colleges and schools they represent here.

Tenured or tenure-track faculty members are eligible to serve on the Faculty Board on Athletics. Terms run for three years, and members (other than the chair) can serve up to two consecutive terms. Each college or school represented on the FBA runs its own election to choose its representative. The Office of the Provost runs an election for the at-large seat on the FBA. The University President appoints the chair and two other faculty members.

The Office of Academic Services for Student-Athletes (ASSA) supports and challenges student-athletes in an effort to help them maximize their academic potential at Notre Dame. ASSA reports through the Office of Undergraduate Education to the Provost. Academic counselors aim to be a valuable resource for faculty. You can find more information on ASSA’s website, including a list of counselors and the sports they support.

The Chair of the Faculty Board on Athletics also serves as the NCAA-mandated Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR). The FAR serves as an advisor to the president and the Director of Athletics and as a liaison to the faculty; helps ensure the institutional control and academic integrity of Notre Dame’s athletics program as well as the welfare of its student-athletes; participates in national and conference governance bodies; engages in institutional policy discussions on matters affecting student-athletes; serves on search committees for senior athletics administrators and head coaches; oversees decisions regarding student eligibility for intercollegiate competition; remains visible and available to student-athletes; and actively participates in all investigations and reports of possible NCAA violations. The FAR works with other University academic leaders, including the Provost and deans, to address matters of mutual concern regarding the academic opportunities, challenges, and performance of student-athletes.

Since 2009, Patricia Bellia, the William J. and Dorothy K. O’Neill Professor of Law, has served as the FAR and Chair of the FBA. She can be reached at pbellia@nd.edu or 574-631-3866.

Several units at Notre Dame work together to help student-athletes achieve their academic potential. The Office of Academic Services for Student-Athletes (ASSA), which is an academic unit that reports through the Office of Undergraduate Education to the Provost, provides academic counsel and support to student-athletes. ASSA provides general academic support, assists students in their transition to Notre Dame, monitors academic performance, offers guidance on time management, and helps students identify post-graduate and scholarship opportunities.

The Faculty Board on Athletics (FBA), a University committee comprising ten faculty members, one student representative, and four ex officio members from other campus units, ensures faculty input into critical decisions about Notre Dame’s athletics programs. The FBA is the principal advisory group to the president on educational issues related to intercollegiate athletics and has representatives from all schools and colleges except the School of Architecture. Among other things, the FBA places limits on the number of classes that student-athletes can miss for regular-season competition. The committee reviews all competition schedules to ensure compliance with those limits. For more on scheduling restrictions, see the FBA's scheduling policies and related FAQs.

Notre Dame expects that all coaches will honor the primacy of academic life at Notre Dame and will fully embrace the obligation to educate, train, and otherwise assist in the formation of the students entrusted to them. Other units in Athletics, including Student-Athlete Services, provide student-athletes with service opportunities, offer leadership development, and help students prepare for life after sport.

For more information on the principles and policies that guide Notre Dame’s participation in intercollegiate athletics, see the Statement of Principles for Intercollegiate Athletics, the FBA's Academic Articles Charge, the FBA's Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines, and the website for the Office of Academic Services for Student-Athletes.