Organizational Capacity and Dual Mission Achievement in NCAA Division I Power Five Athletic Programs

Organizational capacity posits that both resource acquisition and deployment play a role in fully realizing an organization’s mission. If they do not, capacity arguments suggest that the problem may lie in a lack of resources, ineffective deployment of resources, or both. At the highest level of intercollegiate athletics (i.e., Division I Power Five), athletic departments are often criticized for prioritizing athletics over academics. Thus, this study aimed to examine how NCAA Division I Power Five programs deploy resources toward fulfilling their dual mission. Understanding how and why these organizations potentially fall short of achieving their dual mission might lend helpful insight for athletic departments to consider when strategically planning how to avoid potential pitfalls and successfully achieve their dual mission. Findings suggest that four themes related to resource deployment impact athletic departments’ ability to achieve their educational mission: time scarcity, prioritization of football and men’s basketball, overemphasis on winning, and the centrality/authority of coaches. Implications are addressed within a broader discussion of these findings.