The conference is committed to providing quality athletics competition integral to and consistent with its member institutions' academic missions. The conference is dedicated to providing opportunities for student-athletes to achieve their fullest potential in the classroom, in athletic competition and in the community. The conference ensures that personal development of its student-athletes is given the highest priority and that, in doing so, it shall uphold the principles of ethical conduct, sportsmanship and equity. In pursuing this mission, the conference pledges to: a. Provide its member institutions the opportunity to conduct intercollegiate athletics as an integral component of their academic programs; b. Enhance educational opportunities for young men and women, and provide an environment in which integrity, leadership, academic achievement, athletics performance, personal growth, and sportsmanship CAN be developed; c. Strive for high academic and athletic achievement of student-athletes at each of the conference's member institutions; d. Encourage its student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff to engage in community service efforts, and recognize those efforts at the institutional and conference levels; e. Initiate, promote, organize and improve intercollegiate athletics competition among its member institutions; f. Conduct conference business in an atmosphere that fosters camaraderie and willingness by ALL to support inter-institutional goals and to solve problems in the BEST interests of ALL concerned; g. Expect our member institutions to be committed to gender equity and equal opportunity, and to comply with applicable federal and state LAWS, and with ALL NCAA and conference rules and regulations; h. Maintain responsible conference fiscal management; and i. Ensure that conference activities are conducted in a manner free of BIAS.