MIAA Mission Statement

    The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), founded in 1888, is the nation's oldest collegiate athletic conference.  The governance of intercollegiate athletics at member colleges and conference legislative responsibility rest with the college presidents and their institutional delegates.  Primary considerations in all conference decisions are: the welfare of every participating student-athlete; procedures that underscore the academic missions of member colleges; and fair play at all conference events.

Member colleges achieve the conference's mission by:

1.  Conducting athletic programs that are extensions of and directly support the academic mission of each school.  This influences the way that member colleges view coaching, recruitment, eligibility, financial aid, scheduling and the amount of time that student-athletes are away from class.

2.  Placing the highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience and on the successful completion of all student-athletes academic programs.

3.  Insisting on the practice of good sportsmanship and positive social behaviors in all constituents, including student-athletes, coaches, administrative personnel and spectators.

4.  Providing equitable athletic opportunities for males and females and giving equal emphasis to men's and women's sports at co-educational colleges.

5.  Affirming the special importance of the effect of athletics on the participants rather than on the spectators and placing greater emphasis on the internal constituency (students, alumni, institutional personnel) than on the general public and its entertainment needs. 

6.  Assuring that the actions of coaches and other institutional personnel exhibit fairness, openness and honesty in their relationships with student-athletes.

7.  Maintaining that conference competition and championships are the primary objectives of in-season play.  Post-season play is an additional opportunity, but not as a basis for altering conference policies and procedures. 

8.  Supporting student-athletes in their efforts to reach high levels of athletic performance by providing all teams with adequate facilities, competent coaching and appropriate competitive opportunities.

MIAA institutional membership requires NCAA Division III affiliation, endorsement of the NCAA Division III mission statement and adherence to NCAA Division III rules and regulations.

Adopted May 18th, 1999