About Illinois Facilities
The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) was chartered in 1892 as a not-for-profit corporation of the State of Illinois. It was charged with overseeing and conducting the University’s intercollegiate athletic programs and associated support services, and operated as a separate entity.
After the state legislature voted in June 1989 to bring UI athletics within the University proper, the DIA assumed the functions and responsibilities of the Athletic Association. The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics began operations officially July 1, 1989, and now, more than a century after University of Illinois athletics began, the mission is still to achieve excellence both in the classroom and in sport competition.
The director of athletics is the division’s chief executive officer, and reports directly to the chancellor of the Urbana-Champaign campus. The chancellor has final authority regarding the athletic program in all areas except for budget and major appointments. Those decisions rest with the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.
The Athletic Board serves the DIA in an advisory capacity. It is composed of 18 members, (nine faculty, five alumni, three students and one trustee); and the three non-voting (ex-officio) members from the University administration. The faculty and student members are nominated by the Urbana-Champaign Senate and selected by the chancellor.
The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics does not receive state tax dollars and over the years has been able to fully fund the NCAA maximum allowable number of athletic scholarships for student-athletes in each of its sports programs, as well as to hire excellent coaches and maintain and upgrade its facilities, staying on par with the best major collegiate programs across the nation.
This has been accomplished through revenues derived from the following major sources: gate receipts from football and men’s basketball; television and radio rights fees for those two sports and corporate sponsorships and donations to the I FUND. I FUND contributions provide the maximum allowable number of scholarships in the 19 men’s and women’s sports at an average annual cost of approximately $12,000 for in-state student-athletes and about $18,000 for those from outside Illinois.
