Center Instituted as New Academic Unit at MTSU

The Center for Sport Policy and Research (CSPR) has officially been recognized by the Tennessee Board of Regents as an established new academic unit on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University.

Founded in 2008, by Dr. Colby Jubenville, CSPR provides an opportunity for qualified graduate students and community partners to be part of a national platform that seeks to provide solutions by addressing administration and policy issues related to the sport industry. Further, by connecting with the Journal of Sport Administration and Supervision (JSAS), CSPR seeks to conduct research which can undergo review processes and perhaps become published by JSAS and will greatly advance MTSU, its graduate students, and industry leaders who want to gain familiarity with the scholarly publication process enhancing their professional qualifications.

"Being recognized as an established new academic unit at MTSU by the Tennessee Board of Regents affirms the recognition the Center is receiving for sustaining a regional and national presence," said Dr. Colby Jubenville, Director of CSPR. "Connecting MTSU by solidifying partnerships within the Middle Tennessee footprint creates a unique opportunity that will allow both the Center and MTSU to advance its mission." 

Jubenville, who secured private dollars for CSPR and JSAS, is convinced that a leading academic institution combined with strong graduate programs focused on fostering well-grounded sport academicians and practitioners can make a major contribution to the institution of sport through systematic examination of research and a well-defined "call for change" in the arena.

Quickly becoming recognized as a trendsetter in the area of sportsmanship, CSPR has been part of a team that has either developed, implemented, or evaluated online platforms that have been proven effective at both the high school and collegiate levels. STAR Sportsmanship, a reality-based online platform, has been used in Alabama and Mississippi where each state high school athletic association experienced positive results and a major reduction in ejections in the sport the program was implemented in.

Similarly, this past year, the Sun Belt Conference instituted REAL Sportsmanship and mandated that all players and coaches participate in the platforms before being eligible to take part in any championship events.

The Center is currently housed at MTSU in the Department of Health and Human Performance and partnered with Learning Through Sports, and the Journal of Sport Administration and Supervision.