Greening Our Front Porch: Environmental Sustainability in Collegiate Athletics

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-17
Author(s):  
Jamee A. Pelcher ◽  
Brian P. McCullough
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
College Athletics ◽  
Collegiate Athletics ◽  
Sport Organizations ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives ◽  
Sports Organization

Sport organizations have begun to widely implement environmental sustainability into their daily operations, but more needs to be done to properly plan and implement these initiatives to ensure their long-term success. Specifically, college athletic departments struggle to be proactive in their approach to environmental sustainability despite the vast resources available to leverage in order to deeply commit to being an environmentally sustainable department on campus. This case study examines the strategic planning of sustainability initiatives in the Smallville University Athletic Department. This case provides students with an opportunity to (a) explore the importance of sustainability in sport, (b) analyze the role of stakeholders in a sports organization, (c) investigate common barriers to implementing sustainability in college athletics, and (d) consider creative options for implementing sustainable initiatives.

Stakeholder status in the identification, prioritization and management of college athletic donors

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt R. Huml ◽  
Alicia M. Cintron
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
College Athletics ◽  
Stakeholder Management ◽  
Rank Order ◽  
Collegiate Athletics ◽  
Stakeholder Salience ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Capacity

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine how athletic fundraising managers perceive status and seek to use status to identify, prioritize and manage stakeholders within college athletics.Design/methodology/approachTo test this purpose, the researchers use the Gioia methodology to interview 19 college athletic department fundraising officers within National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) institutions. Following interviews, the data were analyzed by the researchers and structured within a first-order and second-order concept designation.FindingsInterviews show that status is an effective concept for explaining how athletic fundraisers identify and prioritize donors. Officers relied on economic (capacity) and social (passion and interest) factors to rank order donors. The results also show that athletic departments use status to manage stakeholders by rewarding their giving and escalating their commitment. Status is used in four strategies to manage the donor hierarchy: benefits, recognition, membership and access. Each strategy highlighted exclusivity and rank order.Originality/valueThere is a need to empirically test the application of status within the stakeholder theory context. These findings also contribute to the evolution of stakeholder management beyond the use of social identity theory or stakeholder salience. It helps our understanding of the evolving relationship between fundraiser and donor by recognizing the importance of capacity, passion and interests when identifying and prioritizing donors. Further, status-markers such as exclusive benefits, recognition, membership and access can be used to manage donors toward the organization's goals.

Collegiate athletics environmental sustainability efforts within STARS reporting

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamee Pelcher ◽  
Brian P. McCullough ◽  
Sylvia Trendafilova
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
College Campuses ◽  
Collegiate Athletics ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Data Collection Process ◽  
Reporting Tool ◽  
Sustainability Report

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine higher education institutions’ participation in association for the advancement of sustainability in higher education’s (AASHE’s) Green Athletics category in the sustainability tracking, assessment and rating system (STARS) sustainability report while assessing how well collegiate athletic departments engage with their respective aspects. Design/methodology/approach This general review used quantitative content analysis to determine the number of NCAA Divisions I–III institutions that actively report Green Athletics categories in their AASHE STARS reports. The data collection process compiled current reports from the STARS website and the National Collegiate Athletic Association database. Green Athletics categorical and accumulated point attempts and outcomes were analyzed. Findings Of the 335 institutions that actively use the STARS reporting tool, the NCAA accounted for 247 rated institutions of which only 50 attempted points in Green Athletics while only 21 institutions succeeded. This paper discusses the lack of participation from institutions in Green Athletics and propose an alternate to better engage collegiate athletics in STARS reporting. Originality/value This study is one of the first known examinations of the tangible results of collaborations on college campuses to integrate the athletic department’s sustainability efforts into the overall sustainability reporting of the institution. This study can better inform STARS on how to more fully engage college athletic departments and boost the sustainability efforts in all corners of campus.

Economics of Campus Sustainability

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly S. Hodge ◽  
Jane Stewart ◽  
Lilly Grella
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Administrative Leadership ◽  
Fiscal Responsibility ◽  
Campus Sustainability ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Institutional Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives ◽  
Student Programming

Can sustainability initiatives support positive economics, or are they necessarily cost-additive? With thousands of colleges and universities across the globe actively pursuing sustainability and carbon-neutrality goals, the question of how to balance institutional sustainability priorities and fiscal responsibility hovers in discussions ranging from utility planning to student programming. Educational institutions often heavily weigh the economics and academics of a potential sustainability project. However, pressing issues with long-term implications, such as climate change and rising operations costs, can make campus sustainability projects an appealing option. Institutions will incorporate the environmental, financial, and social aspects of a decision differently and through different avenues of funding. Examples of measures that institutions of higher education are taking to incorporate sustainability include adaptations of campus infrastructure, operations, and administrative leadership, and those measures necessarily intersect with financial planning and outcomes. An overview of general models and specific institutional examples of sustainability initiatives in the areas of infrastructure, operations and management, education and community engagement, and administration indicate that sustainability measures, especially for environmental sustainability, can contribute to positive campus economics. This outcome, however, is most likely when decision-making considers both long-term and cross-sectoral impacts to evaluate the true cost–benefit profile as it applies to the institution as a whole.

Environmental Sustainability Initiatives in the Agrifood Supply Chain

2013 ◽  
pp. 786-797
Author(s):  
Ioannis Manikas ◽  
Petros Ieromonachou ◽  
Dionysis Bochtis
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Electronic Document ◽  
Food Supply Chain ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives

The aim of this study is to identify a wide range of environmentally sustainable initiatives in food supply chain operations and activities. Data for this pilot study were collected through a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire consisted of nine questions. The survey was distributed through email, both as an online link as well as an electronic document that could be returned via email or in hardcopy. A total of 214 UK-based companies involved in the Agrifood products distribution sector were contacted. A correlation analysis shows that company perceptions about factors affecting decisions for the implementation of sustainable practices shares a relationship with the company’s expectations when applying sustainable initiatives. Further research built on this preliminary study will lead to the development of a model that will enable adoption of sustainable measures based on a needs and strengths analysis of the companies.

Environmental Sustainability Initiatives in the Agrifood Supply Chain

2014 ◽  
pp. 221-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ioannis Manikas ◽  
Petros Ieromonachou ◽  
Dionysis Bochtis
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Electronic Document ◽  
Food Supply Chain ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives

The aim of this study is to identify a wide range of environmentally sustainable initiatives in food supply chain operations and activities. Data for this pilot study were collected through a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire consisted of nine questions. The survey was distributed through email, both as an online link as well as an electronic document that could be returned via email or in hardcopy. A total of 214 UK-based companies involved in the Agrifood products distribution sector were contacted. A correlation analysis shows that company perceptions about factors affecting decisions for the implementation of sustainable practices shares a relationship with the company’s expectations when applying sustainable initiatives. Further research built on this preliminary study will lead to the development of a model that will enable adoption of sustainable measures based on a needs and strengths analysis of the companies.

Who Are the Champions? Using a Multilevel Model to Examine Perceptions of Employee Support for LGBT Inclusion in Sport Organizations

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Nicole Melton ◽  
George B. Cunningham
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Sport Organizations ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Employee Support ◽  
Community Values ◽  
Supportive Behaviors ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Diverse Cultures ◽  
Lgbt Individuals

Sport employees who champion LGBT inclusion efforts represent key elements in creating accepting environments within college athletic departments. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the concept of champions and how they support LGBT individuals within heterosexist sport environments. Drawing from divergent literatures, including that related to organizational inclusion and championing behaviors, we explore how a combination of factors from multiple levels may influence sport employees’ attitude and behaviors related to LGBT inclusion, and determine how supportive behaviors influence sexual minorities working within a college athletic department. Results indicate that various macro- (i.e., culture of sport, athletic boosters, university and community values, exposure to diverse cultures) meso- (organizational culture, presence of other champions), and micro- (demographics, open-mindedness, experiences with sexual minorities) level factors influenced the level of employee support for LGBT inclusive policies. Furthermore, power meaningfully influenced these dynamics, such that employees who did not resemble prototypically sport employees (i.e., White, heterosexual, male) were hesitant to show support for LGBT equality. However, those who did champion LGBT inclusive initiatives successfully modeled supportive behaviors and positive attitudes toward LGBT individuals, vocally opposed discriminatory treatment, and provided sexual minorities with a safe space within sport. The authors discuss implications and future directions.

Buried Accomplishments: Institutional Isomorphism in College Athletics Mission Statements

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell E. Ward
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equity ◽  
Intercollegiate Athletics ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
College Athletics ◽  
Mission Statement ◽  
Mission Statements ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Academic Advancement ◽  
External Pressures

Despite suggestions that mission statements represent a strategic component of organizational communication, there has been little research of these documents in athletic departments at U.S. colleges and universities. The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between mission statement content and athletic department accomplishments in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I schools (N = 343). The content analysis of mission statements revealed that athletics missions do not differentiate accomplished from less accomplished athletic programs. Athletic departments with strong traditions of promoting the academic advancement of student-athletes, achieving gender equity, and complying with NCAA rules tend to reference these distinctions in the same way as departments with less favorable histories. Grounded in institutional theory, this article describes the external pressures toward sameness rather than differentiation in mission statement content. Implications for intercollegiate athletics and higher education are discussed.

scholarly journals Formation and Function of a Collegiate Athletics Sustainability Committee

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian P. McCullough ◽  
Timothy Kellison ◽  
Elodie Wendling
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Spanning ◽  
Collegiate Athletics ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Dual Identity ◽  
Institutions Of Higher Learning ◽  
Collaborative Engagement ◽  
Social Partnerships ◽  
And Function

Institutions of higher learning may be considered dual-identity organizations because of the perceived distinctiveness between universities’ academic and athletic missions. One way in which these barriers can be weakened is through cross-sector social partnerships (CSSP), a form of collaborative engagement aimed at achieving a common societal goal. In this study, we examine the formation of a university-directed CSSP focused on enhancing environmentally sustainable initiatives within the athletic department. Interviews with 11 members of a so-called Green Team illustrate the processes of boundary spanning and boundary blurring. As demonstrated in the article, boundary spanning occurred under the leadership of a “champion” who assembled a team of stakeholders to assist with the major renovation of a pro-environmental football stadium. Though the sustainability committee has a common goal, not all experiences of Green Team members have been the same. In light of these differences, we identify key barriers and prescribe solutions that can lead to the realization of a new organizational form.

Plains State University’s Naming Rights Dilemma

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nels Popp ◽  
Terry Eddy ◽  
Chad McEvoy
Keyword(s):  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
College Athletics ◽  
Collegiate Athletics ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Current Trends ◽  
Sport Facility ◽  
Key Variables ◽  
Naming Rights ◽  
The Impact

In this case study, readers are placed in the role of a National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I Athletics Director and challenged to consider the issue of selling the corporate naming rights to the department’s premier on-campus sports venue. Readers are exposed to a myriad of issues impacting such a decision and must weigh out such factors as: (a) the appropriateness of corporate commercialization in college athletics, (b) the pressure to balance a tight athletic department budget, (c) the impact of changing a facility name which holds significant nostalgic value to the fan base, (d) what type of sponsors might be an appropriate fit for a corporate naming rights sponsorship, and (e) what are the current trends among sport facility naming rights within college athletics. The case study is supported by many scholarly research citations but also includes important appendices, including a database of 44 current college athletic facility naming rights deals, populated with key variables. This database will assist readers in the difficult process of attempting to value naming rights for a fictional facility depicted in the case study.

Rising to the Challenge of Our Rival: Promoting Rivalry at Sam Houston State University Through Campus Recreation

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-37
Author(s):  
Jason W. Lee ◽  
Ryan K. Zapalac ◽  
Elizabeth A. Gregg ◽  
Courtney Godfrey
Keyword(s):  
Campus Recreation ◽  
Recreational Sports ◽  
State University ◽  
Sport Organizations ◽  
Athletic Department ◽  
Athletic Departments ◽  
Sports Events ◽  
Sam Houston State University ◽  
The University ◽  
Piney Woods

Rivalries are a powerful promotional tool that can help drive identification with a brand, attendance at sports events, and subsequent consumer spending. While rivalries often benefit the participating athletic departments directly, there are other peripheral benefits that institutions can take advantage of. For instance, campus recreation departments can use the rivalry to help boost participation and provide additional psychic income benefits. This case focuses on two NCAA Football Championship Subdivision rivals and the ways in which the branding of their annual football contest, the Battle of the Piney Woods, can be best leveraged by other programs in the university, namely campus recreation. A sample scenario of a relatively new recreational sports employee is provided along with promotional elements and background for the universities and the Battle of the Piney Woods event. The reader is challenged to devise strategies that can best tie the Battle of the Piney Woods rivalry to the promotion of recreational sports offerings. The goal of such an exercise is to have one examine how large inter-institutional rivalries can also benefit other sport organizations that are within the university but are not necessarily just in the athletic department.

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