Analysis of university mission statements and the missions and strategic plans of athletic departments

Mission statements are the cornerstone of strategic planning (Hax & Majluf, 1984; Conway, Mackay, & Yorke, 1994), and missions and strategic plans are written to set objectives for the future (Kriemadis, 2009; Winston, 2013.) This study utilizes the written objectives of the university missions and the athletic department missions and strategic plans to determine the alignment of the two entities. A content analysis of 23 institutions in the "Power 5" conferences in NCAA Division I revealed alignment between the missions of the universities and the athletic department missions and strategic plans. Comparisons were made between the missions of each entity and also between the strategic plans and each mission. The results of this study support the theory athletic departments view themselves as a part of the university and operate in that manner (Kriemadis, 2009.).