University of Notre Dame du Lac

Academic Services for Student-Athletes

History

Notre Dame has provided academic support to student-athletes since the mid-1950s. This initial support was under the guidance of Professors William Burke, Paul Conway, and Edward Cronin. In 1964, the late Rev. Edmund Joyce, C.S.C., asked Professor Michael DeCicco, former Notre Dame men’s fencing coach, to open the Office of the Academic Advisor for Athletes. The office was housed in the Main Building (Golden Dome).

Initially, DeCicco advised a small group of football players, but he rapidly expanded the program to include all student-athletes. He initiated the tutorial assistance program, class monitoring program, and degree progress reports that are still the foundation of the office. DeCicco headed the office until 1990 when Dr. Kate Halischak took over and the program took its current name - Academic Services for Student-Athletes. When the Main Building began renovation in 1997, Academic Services moved to Brownson Hall.

Under Dr. Halischak, the staff of Academic Services grew to include several academic counselors and a tutor coordinator. The generous donation of James and Leah Morse enabled the office to move to the new Coleman-Morse Center in the spring of 2001. Coleman-Morse offers a centralized location with expanded study facilities and office space. In the spring of 2002, Patrick Holmes became the Director. The office continues to offer student-athletes resources and support, helping them maximize their educational experience at Notre Dame.