NSU Newsroom

SharkBytes

Horizons

This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.

This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.

News Releases Archive

Contact

Division of Public Relations and Marketing Communications
Nova Southeastern University
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33314-7796

nova.edu/prmc

SharkBytes Archives

Contact

Division of Public Relations and Marketing Communications
Nova Southeastern University
3301 College Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33314-7796

communications@nova.edu

NSU Athletics Sends Two to National FAR Conference

Sharks are represented by Stephen Russo Ph.D. and Katie Barnard at 2015 NCAA Division II FAR Advanced Leadership Institute

Stephen Russo, Ph.D., Faculty Athletics Representative for NSU and associate professor in NSU’s College of Psychology, recently participated with other renowned faculty experts at the 2015 NCAA Division II FAR Advanced Leadership Institute, a conference also attended by current women’s basketball player Katie Barnard.

Dr. Russo was selected among 16 other renowned Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs) and four student-athletes from across the country, including Barnard (R-So., Granger, Ind.), to develop an enhanced understanding of the roles and critical functions of a Division II FAR. Presentations and discussions covered leadership and collaboration skills, the role of the FAR in communications among different campus constituencies, and protection of student-athlete welfare, with a special emphasis on mental health and well-being.

Highlights of the weekend agenda included a presentation from the Sports Science Institute of the NCAA as well as panel discussions and educational seminars by psychologists, athletic trainers, and other experts on issues related to the mental health of student-athletes. They addressed, among other topics, how concussions can affect the return of a student-athlete to the classroom as well as the time demands and ongoing physical/psychological pressures that student-athletes face.

Other topics included how the FAR can play a role in supporting student-athletes who cope with the wide array of factors that impact mental health and wellness, including connecting individual athletes to appropriate campus resources, learning how to respond to signs of emotional distress, educating campus colleagues of the demands that the student-athlete endures, or working to break down barriers and dispel misperceptions about the reality of being an NCAA student-athlete.

Dr. Russo and his fellow FAR attendees were challenged to construct an action plan that national FARs can use to initiate conversations with their respective campus constituents about wellness protocols. The role that administrators, faculty, counseling centers, athletic trainers, coaches, and teammates collectively share in such an action plan were identified as critical to the educational and athletic success of student-athletes. In particular, participants utilized the 2014 NCAA publication Mind, Body and Sport: Understanding and Supporting Student-Athlete Mental Wellness as a foundation for a best practices document that will outline key issues and provide additional resources for FARs throughout the NCAA.

From an NCAA perspective, the Faculty Athletics Representative is an integral element of an intercollegiate athletics program. In his role as FAR, Dr. Russo is responsible for a number of activities related to facilitating institutional control of intercollegiate athletics and ensuring student-athlete welfare at NSU. Dr. Russo has served as the FAR of NSU since 2010. NSU’s student-athlete representative, Barnard, is currently a redshirt sophomore majoring in elementary education. Originally from Indiana, Barnard has been a part of two Elite Eight women’s basketball teams, and presently serves on the executive board of NSU’s Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

Nova Southeastern University recognizes, values, and supports intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational mission of the University. Central to the program’s mandate and in accord with the stated goals of the University, the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics commits itself to fostering leadership, lifelong learning, and service to the community among its student-athletes. Since joining the DII ranks in 2002, NSU has been among the nation’s top performing programs academically, having earned a 3.0 department Grade Point Average (GPA) for 13 consecutive years. The 2014-15 academic year was no exception, with over 300 student-athletes combining for a 3.15 cumulative GPA. During that same time period, 13 of the 17 sports offered at NSU earned more than a 3.0 as a team over both the fall and winter semesters combined. In the latest reported results, February of 2015, NSU had an ASR of 87 percent, 16 points higher than the DII ASR national four-year average.