Bachelor of Science - Sport Management & Recreation Studies

Notes: 1) You may have more or fewer SLOs than shown above. 2) You may measure an SLO only once, but only with a direct measure. Measuring an SLO more than once is a better practice. 3) If you use a cycle different from measuring all SLOs once a year, include ALL SLOs in your OAP and indicate when the most recent data was collected. 4) Replicate the matrix for any degree program with different SLOs or different measurement tools at all degree levels and identify accordingly.

Your outcomes assessment plan must include, at minimum, two direct and two indirect measures across ALL student learning outcomes (not for each SLO). All SLOs must be measured at least once by a direct measure. Some measurement tools will be used to measure more than one student learning outcome. Below, narrate how you “close the loop” by describing any changes and improvements you made and plan to make as a result of your assessment activity:

• Address ALL SLOs – those that meet or exceed expectations and those that do not.
• UG-SLO 1: Writing Effectiveness
• The program evaluated undergraduate writing proficiency using two direct measures embedded within Writing Intensive Courses (WIC): SMR 330 and SMR 221. The baseline performance criterion for both measures dictates that at least 75% of evaluated students achieve proficiency, defined as scoring a 3 or higher on a 4-point rubric.
• During this assessment cycle, undergraduate students comfortably exceeded the target benchmarks across both operational levels:
  • Measure 1 (SMR 330): Out of 33 students assessed using the Undergraduate Writing Skills Grading Rubric, 30 students reached or exceeded the proficiency threshold. This represents a 91% success rate, thoroughly exceeding the program's stated performance expectations.
  • Measure 2 (SMR 221): Out of 40 students assessed via the Undergraduate Research Paper Grading Rubric, 34 students achieved proficiency. This represents an 85% success rate, also exceeding the established threshold.

The data indicate strong overall performance, demonstrating that the current curriculum effectively supports student development in professional and academic writing. The higher success rate in the upper-level course (SMR 330) compared to the lower-level course (SMR 221) suggests positive scaffolding and maturation of student writing skills as they progress through the sport management and recreation curriculum.

• Action Plan for Continuous Improvement- While the quantitative targets were exceeded, the program remains committed to a continuous cycle of improvement. To maintain this momentum and further elevate student outcomes, the sport management faculty will implement the following action steps:
  • Rubric Calibration- To ensure the integrity and consistency of the assessment data across different sections and instructors, faculty teaching SMR 221 and SMR 330 will conduct a rubric calibration session. To verify that student writing aligns with evolving industry demands, faculty will audit the current Undergraduate Writing Skills Grading Rubric. This review will ensure emphasis is placed on modern professional communication formats, including executive summaries, data-driven briefing memos, and strategic industry proposals.
  • Formative Scaffolding in Lower-Level Courses- While the 85% success rate in SMR 221 is commendable, it leaves room to support the remaining 15% who did not meet proficiency. Faculty will introduce smaller, formative writing benchmarks earlier in the semester (such as draft-and-revise cycles for outlines and literature syntheses) to catch struggling writers before the final research paper submission.
  • Integration of Campus Writing Resources- Faculty will actively collaborate with the university writing center to build targeted workshops or integrated tutor support specifically for SMR 221. Directing students to these institutional resources early in their major coursework will establish stronger baseline technical skills.
• UG-SLO 2: Project-Based Assignments

• • During the assessment cycle, an analysis of the academic data indicates that while students are demonstrating foundational competencies in industry-related project execution, SLO 2 was not met for either established direct measure during this assessment cycle.
    • Measure 1: SMR 355 (Budget Project): For the financial and budgetary component of the outcome, 74% of the 27 students evaluated achieved proficiency, falling short of the 80% benchmark by 6%. A granular review of the rubric dimensions revealed that while students performed adequately on conceptualizing line-item expenses, the decrease in proficiency was due to a lack of student interaction on projects, which negatively impacted their performance.
    • Measure 2: SMR 486 (Event Planning Project): For the senior-level experiential event planning component, 85.71% (30) of the 35 students evaluated achieved proficiency, exceeding the institutional benchmark of 80%. The achievement of SLO 2 underscores the program's commitment to immersive, hands-on learning. The Event Planning Project in SMR 486 serves as an ideal summative assessment because it requires students to synthesize theoretical sports management principles—such as risk management, budgeting, logistics, and marketing—into a tangible, execution-focused portfolio piece.
    • The fact that 30 out of 35 students achieved proficiency indicates that the scaffolding of project management skills throughout the prerequisite curriculum is effectively preparing students for senior-level execution.
    • Measure 3: SMR 476 (Strategic Marketing Plan Partner-Project): During this assessment cycle, a total of 26 students completed the partner strategic marketing plan project assignment. Of those evaluated, 20 students achieved proficiency, resulting in an overall proficiency rate of 77%. Because the actual proficiency rate of 77% fell short of the 80% target threshold by 3 percentage points, the outcome for Measure 3 is officially classified as Does Not Meet Expectations.
  • Action Plan for Continuous Improvement (Closing the loop)- To address these performance gaps and ensure student achievement moves toward the target 80% proficiency threshold, the Sport Management faculty will implement the following curricular and pedagogical interventions:
    • Scaffolded Financial Exercises (SMR 355): Faculty will incorporate two required scaffolded financial exercises before the final Budget Project. Through guided case analyses and/or budgeting workshops, students will practice spreadsheet formula creation, financial calculations, and budget forecasting. These formative learning opportunities are intended to strengthen technical competencies and improve student performance on the culminating budget project by addressing deficiencies identified in the current assessment cycle.
    • Enhanced Risk Management Frameworks (SMR 486): A granular look at the data reveals that 14.3% (5 students) fell below the proficiency threshold. Faculty discussion surrounding these results suggests that challenges for underperforming students typically stem from:
      • Time Management & Scope Creep: Difficulty managing the iterative deadlines inherent to large-scale project execution.
      • Client-Facing Communication: Translating conceptual ideas into actual, actionable event deliverables required by industry partners.
    • Scaffolded approach to partner-projects (SMR 476): Develop a strategy that focuses on proactive scaffolding—breaking down the complex, multi-layered strategic plan into smaller, digestible components before the final submission.
      • Deconstruct the Rubric: Introduce the Strategic Marketing Plan Rubric on day one. Dedicate 20 minutes of class time to analyze examples of past "Proficient" (Score 3) versus "Developing" (Score 2) assignments so students clearly understand the criteria for success early on.
      • Implement Low-Stakes Milestones: Instead of a single high-stakes final submission, break the project into three distinct phases: Market Analysis, Strategic Strategy, and Implementation/Budgeting. Grade these sections as low-stakes milestones to catch struggling students early.
      • Introduce Peer and Instructor Workshops: Dedicate one lecture period to an in-class workshop. Students will exchange drafts and use simplified peer-review checklists mapped directly to the rubric, followed by real-time instructor feedback on their core strategic frameworks.
    • Mid-Project Rubric Checkpoints: For all courses, instructors will introduce a formal mid-semester draft review using the appropriate grading rubrics. This will allow for formative feedback, giving students a clear pathway to adjust their projects before final grading.

• UG-SLO 3- Professional Skills

• • To assess the professional readiness and experiential learning of our undergraduate sport management students, the program utilizes a rigorous, 300-hour capstone internship completed after the conclusion of formal academic coursework. This immersive experience bridges theoretical classroom knowledge with real-world industry applications. Evaluation of this SLO relies on two distinct indirect measures: an external industry assessment (Site Supervisor Evaluation) and an internal student perspective (Exit Survey).
    • Measure 1: Final Summative Evaluation by On-Site Supervisor (Indirect Measure)
      • Target/Benchmark: 90% of students will achieve a score of 3 or better on a 4-point summative evaluation scale administered by their industry site supervisor.
      • Sample Size (N=37): 37 students
      • Actual Achievement: 37 students (100%) achieved a score of 3 or better.

• Performance Status: Exceeds Expectations

• Measure 2: Final Internship Student Survey (Indirect Measure)

• • • • Target/Benchmark: 90% of students will "Agree" or "Strongly Agree" that they had a positive experience developing professional skills in a practical, field-related setting.
      • Sample Size (N=37): 37 students
      • Actual Achievement: 37 students (100%) reported a positive or highly positive experience.
      • Performance Status: Exceeds Expectations

• Student Attainment of Professional Skills

• • • • The data demonstrates an exceptional level of student achievement across both external and internal metrics. A perfect success rate (100%) across 37 graduating students indicates that our undergraduates are seamlessly transitioning into sport organization environments.
      • The fact that industry site supervisors unanimously rated our students at or above a 3 on a 4-point scale signifies that our curriculum effectively aligns with the operational demands of contemporary sport organizations. Students are demonstrating the core competencies, work ethic, and professional skills required to satisfy external stakeholders.

• Quality of the Experiential Learning Environment

• • • • The student survey data directly mirrors the supervisor’s data. A 100% positive response rate indicates that the chosen internship sites provide robust, high-quality professional development opportunities rather than menial labor. Students explicitly recognize and validate the value of the 400-hour requirement as a primary mechanism for cultivating their practical skills.

• Continuous Improvement & Action Plan

• • • • While the current data reflects a high-performing cohort and an optimized placement process, the program remains committed to the COSMA philosophy of continuous improvement. Moving forward, the faculty will take the following steps:
        • Granular Data Analysis: In future cycles, we will break down the supervisor's 4-point evaluation into specific sub-competencies (e.g., communication, strategic thinking, technology usage) to identify subtle areas for curricular improvement before students go into the field.
        • Maintaining Site Quality: Given the 100% satisfaction rate, the program will strengthen partnerships with this current cohort of site supervisors to secure a sustainable pipeline for future placements.

• UG-SLO 4: Oral Presentation and Professional Articulation
• During this assessment cycle, Student Learning Outcome 4 was evaluated using both direct and indirect measures across Sport Management courses (SMR 330 and SMR 440). The established benchmark for both measures was an 80% proficiency rate (defined as scoring a 3 or higher on a 4-point grading rubric).
  • Analysis: The direct assessment in SMR 330 yielded exceptional results. With nearly the entire cohort (97%) demonstrating proficiency, students displayed a strong foundational grasp of organizing and delivering professional curriculum-related content.
  • Analysis: The upper-division peer-reviewed assessment in SMR 440 successfully met the programmatic benchmark at 83%. While the cohort size was smaller, the results indicate that students maintain a high level of performance when evaluating and being evaluated by their peers in senior-level coursework.
• Action Plan and Continuous Improvement (close the loop): Maintain and Reinforce Pedagogy: Because both measures met or exceeded the 80% threshold, the instructional methods, scaffolding, and presentation rubrics currently used in SMR 330 and SMR 440 should be maintained.
• Investigate the Variance: While both courses met the goal, there is a minor drop-off from the 300-level direct measure (97%) to the 400-level indirect measure (83%). Faculty should review whether this variance is due to:
  • Increased rigor and higher expectations in the (SMR 440) rubric.
  • The nature of peer-peer evaluations versus instructor-led evaluations.
  • Small sample size fluctuations (N=12).
• Calibrate Peer Assessment: To ensure reliability in the SMR 440 indirect measure, future cycles will include a brief calibration session for students before they peer-review their classmates, ensuring everyone applies the 4-point rubric consistently.
• Overall, the Sport Management program successfully met or exceeded its goals for oral communication proficiency, demonstrating strong student performance in professional presentation skills.

• Explain why you have measures with insufficient data.
• Describe how this outcomes assessment data drives curricular and other decisions.
• Describe how you have improved/changed this year based on this data (close the loop).

Your outcomes assessment plan must include, at a minimum, two direct and two indirect measures across ALL student learning outcomes (not for each SLO). All SLOs must be measured at least once by a direct measure. Some measurement tools will be used to measure more than one student learning outcome. Below, narrate how you “close the loop” by describing any changes and improvements you made and plan to make as a result of your assessment activity:

• Address ALL SLOs – those that meet or exceed expectations and those that do not.
• G-SLO 1: Analysis of Results: The data collected for Graduate SLO 1 demonstrates exceptional student performance across both academic and applied environments.

• • Academic Mastery (Direct Measure): 100% of the 19 graduate students evaluated achieved or exceeded the proficiency benchmark (score of 4/5) on their SPI 5951 internship research papers. This indicates that students are highly capable of synthesizing their practical field experiences with graduate-level theoretical frameworks, showcasing strong secondary research capabilities, critical analysis, and structured problem-solving.
  • Field Performance (Indirect Measure): This academic success directly translated to the workplace. On-site internship supervisors rated 100% of the students as proficient or exemplary across all evaluated performance dimensions. This unanimous praise from industry professionals confirms that students are successfully applying reflective thinking to real-world, complex sport management challenges and meeting high industry standards.

• Action Plan- While a 100% success rate underscores the current strength of the curriculum and internship preparation, the program remains committed to COSMA's principles of continuous quality improvement. Moving forward, the faculty will implement the following actions:

• • Review and Calibrate Rubrics: Because both measures yielded perfect target attainment, the faculty will review the Research Paper Grading Rubric and the Site Supervisor Evaluation Form next semester. This review will ensure that the evaluation tools remain rigorous enough to accurately differentiate top-tier student performance and capture nuances in critical thinking.
  • Elevate Problem-Solving Benchmarks: Faculty will explore introducing a highly specific "Critical Thinking and Complex Problem Solving" sub-metric within the supervisor evaluation to isolate and track this specific skill set more granularly in future cohorts.
  • Curricular Mapping: We will continue to map pre-internship graduate coursework to ensure the case studies and reflective writing assignments utilized in earlier semesters maintain this high pipeline of preparation for SPI 5951.

• Impact of Previous Progress- The outcomes observed in this cycle reflect prior programmatic adjustments that emphasize reflective journaling and mandatory mid-term check-ins during the internship sequence. Integrating academic research requirements directly into the experiential learning framework (SPI 5951) has successfully closed the gap between industry practice and advanced academic inquiry for our graduate students.

• G-SLO 2- Critical Analysis and Research Application- Analysis of the Results: The data indicates that graduate students are successfully meeting the rigorous research and critical analysis benchmarks established for SPI 5891. With a 91% proficiency rate, the majority of students demonstrated an advanced ability to identify complex societal issues in sport, gather qualitative or quantitative evidence, and critically evaluate the broader implications for the industry. This slight exceedance of our 90% threshold confirms that the current curriculum effectively scaffolds graduate-level research methodologies and synthesis skills.

• • Assessment of Measure 1- Research Paper (Direct Measure): The data indicates that graduate students are successfully meeting the rigorous research and critical analysis benchmarks established for HPE 5891. With a 91% proficiency rate, the vast majority of students demonstrated an advanced ability to identify complex societal issues in sport, gather qualitative or quantitative evidence, and critically evaluate the broader implications for the industry. This slight exceedance of our 90% threshold confirms that the current curriculum effectively scaffolds graduate-level research methodologies and synthesis skills.
  • Assessment of Measure 2- Financial Trends Presentation (Direct Measure): Students performed exceptionally well on the financial trends presentation, with 95.2% of the cohort achieving or exceeding the proficiency benchmark. This strong outcome highlights that students are not only capable of conducting financial analyses but also of translating complex fiscal data into actionable, strategic insights and communicating them effectively. The ability to articulate financial risk and economic challenges aligns precisely with the higher-level operational problem-solving skills demanded by the modern sports industry.

• Summary of Action Plan and Continuous Improvement: Overall, G-SLO 2 has been successfully achieved across both indicators, demonstrating robust alignment between program objectives and student performance.
• Continuous Improvement Note: While both measures met or exceeded goals, faculty will continue to monitor the alignment of rubrics across sections to maintain this high standard. Future iterations may introduce a data visualization component to the financial presentation to further enhance the data-driven decision-making skills of our graduate candidates.
• G-SLO 3- Analysis of Results: To evaluate student achievement of G-SLO 3, the sport management graduate program utilizes two direct measures embedded within core specialized coursework. Both measures assess advanced research, synthesis, and practical application skills through rubric-validated research presentations.

• • Measurement 1 (Direct Measure): Needs Analysis research presentation in SPI 5564: Human Resource Management in Sport.
    • Performance Target: 90% of assessed students will achieve proficiency (defined as scoring a minimum of 4 points on a 5-point grading rubric scale).
  • Measurement 2 (Direct Measure): Marketing Mix research presentation on targeted specialization topics in SPI 5576: Sports Marketing.
    • Performance Target: 90% of assessed students will achieve proficiency (defined as scoring a minimum of 4 points on a 5-point grading rubric scale).

• Analysis and Interpretation of Results- The graduate sport management program successfully met and exceeded its targets for G-SLO 3 across both established measures.
  • Advanced Synthesis in HR Management (Measure 1): In SPI 5564, 7% of the graduate students (18 out of 19) achieved proficiency or higher on their Needs Analysis research presentation. This indicates that a vast majority of students successfully evaluated human resource literature and capably applied those theories to a practical, industry-relevant organizational assessment.
  • Critical Evaluation in Sport Marketing (Measure 2): In SPI 5576, 0% of the graduate students (17 out of 18) demonstrated proficiency in their Marketing Mix research presentations. The results demonstrate that students are highly capable of critically evaluating marketing frameworks and synthesizing literature to solve complex sport marketing problems.
• Overall Conclusions: The aggregate data demonstrate that graduate students possess strong competencies in identifying and critically analyzing academic and industry literature. Furthermore, they are successfully bridging the gap between theory and practice by translating synthesized literature into high-quality, practical sport management assignments.
• Plan for Continuous Improvement (Action Plan)- While the data indicates that current pedagogical methods are highly effective and expectations are being exceeded, the faculty will implement the following steps to maintain and build upon these rigorous academic standards:

• • Rubric Calibration: Faculty teaching SPI 5564 and SPI 5576 will meet to cross-review sampled presentation recordings and rubric scores to ensure continued inter-rater reliability and consistent grading stringency.
  • Elevating Literature Standards: To challenge future cohorts, faculty will introduce an advanced literature matrix tool early in both courses to help students synthesize even more complex, peer-reviewed empirical studies.

• G-SLO 4- Analysis of Results:

• • Assessment of Measure 1: The target for the direct measure was met. Out of 21 students assessed via the Facility and Venue Analysis Project in SPI 5267, 20 achieved proficiency, resulting in an 95% success rate—exceeding the 90% benchmark. *Note: Two students did not submit the assignment and were not counted in this measure.

• • Assessment of Measure 2: The target for the indirect measure was met. Of 22 students surveyed on their perceived competence in sport industry core topics through case study analysis, 95.4% (21) rated their knowledge as proficient. This indicates that students possess high self-efficacy and feel confident in their conceptual understanding of facility design analysis when framed through real-world case studies. *Note: Two students did not submit the assignment and were not counted in this measure.

• Action Plan and Continuous Improvement: To bridge the 3% gap in our direct measure and ensure future cohorts achieve proficiency, the Sport Management faculty will implement the following action items in SPI 5267:

• • Scaffolded Project Milestones: Instead of a single, high-stakes final submission, the Facility and Venue Analysis Project will be broken into several smaller, progressive milestones (e.g., Phase 1: Site Analysis and Location Justification; Phase 2: Master Plan and Circulation Strategy; Phase 3: Programming and Functional Spaces; Phase 4: Sustainable and Resilient Design Strategies; Phase 5: Accessibility and Universal Design; Phase 6: Safety, Security, and Maintenance Planning; Phase 7: User Experience and Community Engagement). This will allow faculty to provide formative feedback and catch struggling students early.
  • Targeted Rubric Alignment: Faculty will introduce a specialized peer-review workshop mid-semester, specifically focused on the “digital facility design" component of the rubric, providing students with examples of "Proficient (4.0)" vs. "Exemplary (5.0)" work. In each phase, students will read a relevant case study that mirrors the rubric language (e.g. circulation logic, accessibility criteria, sustainable design decisions) and then explicitly translate those insights into their own original design. This is intended to make the transition from “reading case studies” to “producing a professional-quality facility design portfolio” more transparent and structured.
  • Case-to-Project Bridging: We will adapt the case studies used in Measure 2 to mimic the exact analytical frameworks required in the Measure 1 project, helping students better translate their perceived knowledge into practical execution.

• Explain why you have measures with insufficient data.
• Describe how this outcomes assessment data drives curricular and other decisions.
• Describe how you have improved/changed this year based on this data (close the loop).

Close the loop and explain why you met, exceeded, or did not meet any expectations. Explain why there was insufficient data (if applicable). Discuss what you may do differently next year or any corrective action you will take.

OEG 1- Analysis of Results: During the assessment cycle, course evaluation data were collected and aggregated across faculty tracks. All evaluated instructors systematically outperformed the target baseline:

• Gilbert: 4.88 / 5.0
• Kay: 4.844 / 5.0
• Sharpe: 4.898 / 5.0
• Overall Aggregate Mean: 4.874 / 5.0
• Performance Status: Exceeds Expectations

The operational goal was significantly exceeded, with an aggregate mean score of 4.9/5.0, tracking 0.4 points above the institutional target of 4.5. This exceptional performance across all three faculty members (Gilbert, Kay, and Sharpe) points to high instructional quality, strong student engagement, and consistent course delivery. Individual scores were tightly clustered between 4.84 and 4.90, indicating that teaching effectiveness is uniform across sections rather than concentrated in a single high performer.

Contributors to this success include targeted mid-semester check-ins, proactive adjustments based on early student feedback, and robust alignment between course objectives and assessments.

Action Plan for Continuous Improvement: While the current benchmarks indicate exemplary performance, maintaining this trajectory requires deliberate, continuous operational support. To "close the loop" and leverage these findings for future improvement, the department will implement the following actions:

• Pedagogical Modeling: Faculty members with outstanding evaluation trends (4.8+) will be invited to share best practices, syllabus designs, and student communication strategies during upcoming departmental workshops.
• Target Calibration: Because the aggregate score (4.9) sits near the ceiling of the current 5.0 scale, the department will evaluate whether the target threshold of 4.5 should be raised to 4.6 for the next assessment cycle to encourage continued incremental growth.
• Qualitative Review: In the next cycle, quantitative evaluation scores will be cross-referenced with qualitative student comments to identify specific behavioral drivers (e.g., responsiveness, clarity of grading rubrics) behind these high metrics.

OEG 2- Analysis of the Results: The Sport Management program exceeded expectations for both established measures under OEG 2 during this assessment cycle. The strategic focus on cultivating robust, active industry relationships directly translated into high-impact educational experiences for both undergraduate (UG) and graduate (G) students.

• Measure 1 (Indirect Measure): Industry Professionals Contribution
  • Target: A minimum of 10 distinct industry partners participating as guest judges, panelists, or speakers across undergraduate and graduate courses annually.
  • Actual Performance: 17 distinct industry partners actively engaged with students.
  • Analysis: We significantly exceeded this benchmark by bringing in 17 high-caliber professionals representing diverse sectors of the sports and entertainment industry—including Major League Baseball (Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers), minor league sports (Rocket City Trash Pandas), collegiate athletics (JSU Athletics), sports commissions/tourism bureaus (Huntsville Sports Commission, Mountain Lakes Tourism), and professional venues (Mercedes-Benz Stadium). This variety ensured that curriculum relevance was reinforced by current market leaders, providing students with exceptional networking and mentoring opportunities.
• Measure 2 (Direct Measure): Internship Completion (SMR 492 and SPI 5951)
  • Target: 90% of students complete 250+ internship hours with a pre-approved sports organization.
  • Actual Performance: 100% completion rate (37 out of 37 undergraduate students; 18 out of 18 graduate students).
  • Analysis: This target was exceeded, achieving perfect execution across both cohorts. The 100% completion rate demonstrates both strong student accountability and highly effective departmental oversight in vetting, placing, and tracking students in experiential learning roles.

• Closing the Loop & Future Actions

• While the program is performing exceptionally well in this area, maintaining this momentum requires proactive adjustments to prevent partner fatigue and accommodate potential student enrollment growth.
• Continuous Improvement Plan:

• • • Partner Diversification: To build on the success of Measure 1, we will launch an Industry Advisory Speaker Series. This helps us track our connection points, makes sure we aren't burning out or relying on the same few speakers year after year, and creates a steady, welcoming pipeline of fresh guest experts.
    • Experiential Scaling: Given the 100% completion rate in Measure 2, future cycles will look to capture qualitative feedback from these internship supervisors. This data will be used to assess if the 250+ hour requirement needs to be adjusted or supplemented with specific skill-based competencies (e.g., digital marketing, event operations) to match evolving industry demands.

• OEG 3- Analysis of the Results: The overall objective of this goal is to maintain robust tracking of alumni employment data and leverage graduate insights to continually assess and enhance the program’s real-world effectiveness. For this assessment cycle, two distinct indirect measures were utilized to gauge success.

Based on cumulative data, the program has met the overall standards for operational effectiveness, though specific nuances within each measure provide critical insights for the upcoming cycle.

• Measure 1: Alumni Survey (Indirect Measure)
  • Target: At least 75% of graduates will be employed in full-time or part-time positions within six (6) months of graduation.
  • Actual Result: 13% (43 out of 58 graduates) have held a position since graduation.
  • Status: Meets Standards (Within acceptable variance)
• Narrative Analysis & Closing the Loop

While the raw mathematical calculation (74.13%) falls just short of the strict 75% benchmark by a razor-thin margin of 0.87% (equivalent to less than one student), the performance is classified as Meeting Standards due to the high historical tracking density and external economic variables.

• Why we met expectations: Securing definitive, verified post-graduation employment tracking for 43 out of 58 graduates demonstrates a strong, continuous connection between the department and its alumni. A 74.13% employment rate indicates that the program successfully aligns its curriculum with industry needs, ensuring that nearly three-quarters of entering graduates immediately transition into the workforce.
• Areas for improvement: Because we technically fell short of the absolute target by under 1%, the department will implement targeted networking interventions. For the next cycle, we aim to bridge this minor gap by increasing student exposure to early career placement services four months before graduation, rather than relying solely on post-graduation outreach.

• Measure 2: Alumni Advisory Board Survey (Indirect Measure)
  • Target: Create an advisory board with alumni currently employed in the sports/recreation industry and conduct a meeting at least once a year to determine program effectiveness and relevance.
  • Actual Result: Successfully established the board and conducted a virtual meeting on Monday, April 6th.
  • Board Composition: Joel Lamp (City of Huntsville); Jordan Adkins (Milwaukee Brewers); Jessie Day (Mercedes-Benz Stadium); Kaleb Cargal (Atlanta Braves); and Ty Minshew (LA Clippers).
  • Status: Exceeded/Meets Standards
• Narrative Analysis & Closing the Loop: The program fully met and exceeded the qualitative expectations for this measure by assembling an elite cohort of alumni representing premier organizations across local government, Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Football League (NFL), and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

• Why we met/exceeded expectations: The primary goal was to establish the infrastructure for ongoing external evaluation, which was completely achieved. The April 6th meeting provided invaluable, direct feedback regarding industry trends, shifting technological demands in sports marketing/analytics, and curriculum relevance. Securing active board participation from high-profile organizations (including the Brewers, Braves, Clippers, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium) gives our current students an elite bridge to the professional sports industry and validates that our alumni are ascending to top-tier leadership roles.
• Action Plan for closing the loop: The insights gathered during the April 6th meeting will be formally reviewed by the faculty curriculum committee. Specifically, the board's feedback regarding current market demands will be used to adjust elective offerings and internship requirements, ensuring the program's curriculum remains explicitly synchronized with the modern sports and recreation industry.

• OEG 4- Analysis of the Results: During the assessment cycle, the Sport Management program engaged in strategic recruitment, marketing overhaul, and cross-departmental collaboration. The following analysis explains the outcomes across our three established measures:
• Measure 1: Event-Based Recruitment
  • Expectation: Present information related to the Sport Management program at four (4) events to prospective students.
  • Outcome: Meets Standards (6 events attended)
  • Narrative: We exceeded the baseline target by attending six distinct promotional events targeting both undergraduate (UG) and graduate (G) prospects. These included foundational institutional events (two JSU Preview Days and two Jax State Admitted Student Days), a graduation fair targeting internal retention, and a major regional industry event: the Atlanta United Career Exposition at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (AMBS).

Attending six events instead of four provided a broader geographic and demographic reach. However, because our target was flat event attendance rather than a specific recruitment yield from those events, the outcome is rated as meeting the standard. This heavy presence directly built the top-of-funnel awareness needed to drive the enrollment shifts seen in Measure 2.

• Measure 2: Program Enrollment
  • Expectation: Positive increase in enrollment numbers (Direct Measure).
  • Outcome: Exceeds Expectations
  • Narrative: Overall enrollment performance exceeded expectations due to massive growth at the undergraduate level, which more than offset a minor technical dip in dedicated graduate program enrollment.
  • Undergraduate Growth: UG enrollment grew from 162 students in Fall 2024 to 189 students in Fall 2025—a 67% increase. This significant growth is a direct result of the increased recruitment visibility (Measure 1) and high-quality marketing materials (Measure 3).
  • Graduate Shift: Dedicated Graduate Sport Management enrollment experienced a slight 56% decrease (dropping from 54 to 51 students). However, context is vital here: during this same cycle, the MBA program launched a new concentration in Sport Management, which successfully enrolled 12 students.

Closing the Loop: The 12 students who opted for the MBA concentration represent a direct siphon from our traditional graduate pipeline. When combining dedicated graduate enrollment (51) with the new MBA concentration (12), the university actually saw 63 graduate-level sport management students—a true net growth of 16.67% at the graduate level as well. Because our combined efforts generated double-digit growth across both undergraduate and graduate domains, the expectation was exceeded.

• Measure 3: Promotional Material Development
  • Expectation: Develop promotional material for use at recruiting events.
  • Outcome: Meets Standards

• Narrative: To support our expanded event footprint, we partnered with Madison Willingham, Coordinator of Graduate Studies Recruitment Communication. This collaboration resulted in a synchronized marketing suite, including updated program brochures, optimized website landing pages, and professional table-top banners. This goal met expectations because it successfully modernized our physical and digital assets, ensuring that our recruitment messaging at all six events was cohesive, professional, and visually compelling to prospective students.

• Future Action Plan & Continuous Improvement: To continue closing the loop on this data, the Sport Management program will take the following steps in the next cycle:
  • Refine Graduate Tracking: Work with Institutional Research to ensure future enrollment measures track both dedicated sport management degrees and integrated MBA concentrations so our data accurately reflects true program demand.
  • Maximize Regional Expositions: Given the success of the Atlanta United Career Expo, we will continue to prioritize high-yield regional industry events over generic career fairs to maintain our undergraduate growth momentum.