Included in the athletic department's student-athlete development unit and the P.R.O.W.L. Resource Center is the Minority Student-Athlete Mentoring Program. This faculty mentoring program is designed to foster a positive and supportive relationship with minority student-athletes in order to facilitate educational, social, and personal growth, while providing guidance in managing the transition and retention issues unique to minority student-athletes attending a predominantly white institution. The purpose of the athletic department's minority student-athlete mentoring program is to provide a transition program for new minority student-athletes, and then to continue mentoring as returning students progress toward their degree at Washington State University.

The mentor advisory committee will assist the athletic department and the minority student-athlete mentoring coordinator with planning, implementation, and evaluation of the mentoring program. In addition, the advisory committee will address feedback brought forward by the minority student-athletes and forward recommendations to the athletic administration. The mentor advisory committee includes representatives from: University multi-cultural student services, male and female minority faculty, University student services, male and female student-athlete, the president's office, and coaches from men's and women's sports. The minority student-athlete mentoring coordinator chairs the advisory committee. The committee meets monthly. The minority student-athlete mentoring coordinator and the advisory committee evaluate the minority student-athletes needs, and then match student-athletes with University faculty mentors.

RESPONSIBILITY

Student-Athlete Mentoring Coordinator
1. Request an updated minority student-athlete list from the administrative assistant for student-athlete development. (by sport, gender, athletics aid, and ethnicity). If necessary, request a list of the faculty of color from the office of institutional research.
2. Review and evaluate the qualifications of the faculty. Recruit the most qualified faculty mentors to volunteer to participate in the mentoring program.
3. Provide the appropriate background information to each mentor selected to participate in the program (via Minority Student-Athlete Mentoring Handbook). Also, schedule orientation meetings for faculty mentors, and include discussion regarding departmental policies and NCAA compliance (guidelines/rules specific to mentoring student-athletes).
4. Recruit, interview and select members of the mentor advisory committee and serve as chair.
5. Meet with each head coach and the academic counselors to target specific student-athletes to be involved in the student-athlete mentoring program. Compile targeted mentee list and then invite each student-athlete to participate in the program (via the mentee application).
6. Coordinate the matching process of scholarship minority student-athletes with faculty mentors. (include: walk-ons based on mentor availability). Provide a copy of the mentor-mentee matchings to the program director for personal development and associate athletic director for student-athlete development.
7. Schedule and coordinate mentor, mentee, and mentor-mentee meetings. Notify student-athlete development staff of all scheduled meetings and activities.
8. Plan one athletic department sponsored social event each semester for mentors and mentees. Submit budget request for events in advance, and stay within budget allotment for each event.
9. Provide semester summary of all aspects of the program: mentor-mentee list, events, attendance, mentor and mentee feedback and recommendations.
10. Initiate first contact with minority student-athletes by meeting with prospective minority student-athletes during official on-campus recruiting visits, as scheduled by sport coach.
11. Participate in and promote minority student-athlete mentoring program at all new student-athlete orientation programs (including P.R.O.W.L. New Student-Athlete Seminar).

Compliance Office
1. Meet with faculty to review NCAA rules applicable to mentoring programs (including information regarding extra benefits for student-athletes).
2. Periodically, review mentoring program to ensure compliance with all NCAA Bylaws.

Coach
1. Provide minority student-athlete mentoring coordinator a list of minority student-athletes he/she would like to participate in the mentoring program.
2. Provide feedback to the minority student-athlete mentoring coordinator.

Scholarship Minority Student-athlete

1. If choosing to participate or if expected to participate by the head coach, complete mentee application, attend mentor-mentee events, activities and meetings.
2. Notify mentor in advance of any conflicts with scheduled meeting times or activities.
3a. Provide feedback regarding the mentoring program to the minority student-athlete mentoring coordinator.
3b. Provide the appropriate background information to each mentor selected to participate in the program (via Minority Student-Athlete Mentoring Handbook). Also, schedule orientation meetings for faculty mentors, and include discussion regarding departmental policies and NCAA compliance (guidelines/rules specific to mentoring student-athletes).
4. Recruit, interview and select members of the mentor advisory committee and serve as chair.
5. Meet with each head coach and the academic counselors to target specific student-athletes to be involved in the student-athlete mentoring program. Compile targeted mentee list and then invite each student-athlete to participate in the program (via the mentee application).
6. Coordinate the matching process of scholarship minority student-athletes with faculty mentors. (include: walk-ons based on mentor availability). Provide a copy of the mentor-mentee matchings to the program director for personal development and associate athletic director for student-athlete development.
7. Schedule and coordinate mentor, mentee, and mentor-mentee meetings. Notify student-athlete development staff of all scheduled meetings and activities.
8. Plan one athletic department sponsored social event each semester for mentors and mentees. Submit budget request for events in advance, and stay within budget allotment for each event.